Condolence From: Linda Mauldin
Condolence: I met Linda and Alan shortly after they moved to Del Webb Sweetgrass. I got to know them during their trying times and found both had a great sense of humor. I Enjoyed our conversations while visiting at their home and many times while Linda was walking the neighborhood. It is hard to express the feeling of loss for such a good person and someone who was there for me when I was having a hard time. We shared lots of great moments and I will solely miss her. Mike and Alan had an opportunity to get to know each other while enjoying Alan's positive attitude and sense of humor.
Saturday February 18, 2017
Condolence From: Judy Minahan
Condolence: To Alan and Sara and Dan we send our deepest sympathy in the loss of your beloved wife and mother, our sweet, good friend, Linda. We will all miss her, but we all trust that she is in the arms of Jesus. Having bravely completed her life's course, she is enjoying all the heavenly glory of life with God and her loved ones, such as her sister Stephanie. Our memories of Linda go back to Milwaukee, where she and Alan were the "lucky grandparents" of Jack and Chloe, while we, the faraway Minahan grandparents, saw the grandchildren just on occasion. We've kept in touch through the Texas years and had a beautiful Christmas week with Linda and Alan here in Florida in 2012 (See our picture)
We will greatly miss her!
Judy and Bob Minahan
Tuesday February 14, 2017
Condolence From: Bill and Betsy Fisher
Condolence: Words seem inadequate to express the sadness we feel about losing Linda, a dear friend. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Alan, Sara and family.
I met Linda at Lincoln High School in Manitowoc, Wisconsin when she was dating one of my best friends Alan. I often remember the times she would drive by my house, honk, and then drive around the block, hoping that I would be waiting outside to talk. (She would never come into my house.) She and Alan were having a “scruffle” and she just wanted someone to talk to; so talk we would, about anything and everything, sometimes for hours. I would like to believe that our talks had something to do with them staying together throughout all these years; but that would not be true. Linda was such a positive upbeat person that no little disagreement between Alan and her was going to get in the way of their love. Reflecting back, I believe their disputes were just a product of all of us trying to understand the turmoil of the times, with the murder of a President and a very unsettling Vietnam war. I don’t think any of their disagreements came the fact that Alan (and I) always smelled like gas and oil (from working at his father’s gasoline station) or the grease under his fingernails (from all the time spent working on his “40 Ford).
After high school we all went our separate ways, but we kept in touch. Trying to keep up with all their moves was difficult but Linda accepted them, whether for Alan’s career or for family care with the same cheerful way she accepted everything. I don’t think her beautiful smile ever left her face.
After their move to the Houston area, we had the opportunity to have dinner with Alan and Linda once a year when Betsy and I were in the area. It was as if we were all back in high school, laughing, teasing and sharing the stories of our families and how we still felt close even though we lived thousands of miles apart.
Linda is no longer with us, but her bright, sensitive, joyful spirit will be with us forever.
Monday February 13, 2017
Condolence From: Mary McCormick
Condolence: Alan and I worked together on a close-knit cross-functional team at Cray Research. It was a great company full of smart people like Alan. Many of us Crayons are still friends and keep in touch.
I only met Linda a few times, but we all knew that she was Alan's rock and soulmate.
I can only guess how much you all will miss Linda, but I'm sure her spirit and the gratitude for having her in your life will soon fill your hearts.
Mary
Friday February 10, 2017
Condolence From: Carol Campbell
Condolence: Although I have already left a message as a story, I so enjoyed reading about 2 other friends from her moves and it sounds like we had the same experiences with Linda and her smile and her wonderful memory for people's names. Al and Sara and family, I know that you know your Linda was special. Take your memories with you in your life's travels. They can be a comfort.
Carol
Thursday February 09, 2017
Condolence From: Aurelia & Fernando Nunez
Condolence: My husband and I would like to send Alan, Sara and Mark our deepest condolences on your loss. Linda was such a light in my life and my best friend. Our friendship began about 20 years ago in San Antonio, Texas and has lasted through the years, even though we were thousands of miles apart. I always looked forward to our weekly talks and through the years we have shared so much. She was always a reassuring voice and so very thoughtful. Her beautiful spirit will be missed and I am thankful that she no longer is in pain and in a better place. We love you Linda and may you rest in peace.
Thursday February 09, 2017
Condolence From: patrick graham
Condolence: my wife, barbara, and i and my father who lived in a house 5 houses away in whitefish bay, wi., first met linda and her wonderful family in about 1980. linda, always smiling that radiant smile, always vibrant, was about 10 years younger and so happy with her al, their two young children and their little dog. being around her was like being around the sun: nothing but warmth and, again, that word radiance. their kids played with our kids. barb and linda had nice chats every day. when the family moved to janesville there was a noticeable loss in our neighborhood. many years passed and al and linda moved back to the milwaukee area for a few years. nothing had changed with linda. still the same warm, genuinely friendly person whose two kids had now grown into young adults. after another move took al and linda back to texas, we heard that linda had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. at about the same time, my barb also contracted that horrible disease. barb left us in january and now linda has left us as well. the world has lost two of its champion wives and loving mothers and we are not the better for that but both linda, who is still smiling that radiant smile at us, and barb would not want us to live the rest of our lives in total sadness. we will try not to. they deserve it and much more.
Thursday February 09, 2017
