In Memory

Linda Unfortunately Passed Away This Week. She was a wonderful woman and mother. She will be greatly missed. Everyone who's life she touched was a little bit better because she was in it.

We Love You Linda.

Comments From Friends and Family:
Linda touched us all

Andy Horton
University of Oklahoma

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Linda(Legz)
Hope you and my mother get a chance to meet up, I think you two are
kindred spirits. And know that those of us, still on this side, miss you and
are so proud of you. You were a selfless, open hearted angel on earth
and can now shine your light of merciful love from your eternal home.
Love you always,
Richard(Pesque)

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I never met Linda in person, but felt, as she wrote in e-mails to me, that we were kindred spirits. We met through my son, Scott Damgaard, when he gave her a copy of my book. As she said so often, the book touched her heart and helped her adjust to the death of her father.

I believe when someone dies, a cloud turns into an angel. People disappear but they never really go away. The spirits up there put the sun to bed, wake up the grass and spin the earth in dizzy circles. I know she is dancing in the clouds, and I know she will be painting the rainbows and also the sunsets. And when she begins to sing windsongs, she will whisper to us, don't miss me too much. She will say the view is nice and I'm doing fine.

One last time I will thank her for believing in Scott. She never waivered in her loyalty and belief that he was someone special. How lucky Scott is to have had a friend like her and may he always keep that in his heart. She gave him a tremendous gift.

I will miss you Linda, but when I look at the stars at night I will feel peace that you are shining down on us.

Rest in Peace.

Jean Schuler

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Linda was a unique, kind and truly genuine person, and I am better for having known her. If there is a "river Jordan" to cross, she shall be received with open arms."

This song expresses my best hopes for her continued journey. God speed Linda.

Your friend,

Mimi

I am a poor wayfaring stranger
While traveling through this world of woe
Yet there’s no sickness, toil nor danger
In that bright world to which I go
I’m going there to see my Father
I’m going there no more to roam

I’m only going over Jordan
I’m only going over home

I know dark clouds will gather ‘round me
I know my way is rough and steep
But golden fields lie out before me
Where God’s redeemed shall ever sleep
I’m going there to see my mother
She said she’d meet me when I come
I’ll soon be free from every trial
My body sleep in the churchyard
I’ll drop the cross of self denial
And enter on my great reward
I’m going there to see my Savior
To sing His praise forevermore

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Linda, you were loved and you will be missed.
Everyone who’s life you have touched,
was a little bit better because of you.
I know that sounds Cliché,
Never has it been more the truth.
You were a wonderful person,
and an inspiration to us all.

May you rest in peace,
And have peace where you rest.

I will miss you.
Love Ryan

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Our hearts and prayers go out to all who knew Linda-- as friends, as family, and many of us as her extended family. Linda was a gifted, vibrant, and loving soul. My family, with whom she became very close during our month of studies in Prague, is deeply saddened
by her absence in our world. For now, I can only replay the memories of sharing indelible times of joy and laughter together in Greece and Prague. I offer my words below to celebrate her memory.

James, Debora, Tera, Mara, and Jameson Ragan


For Linda

We remain
here in this world of hinges
where so much depended
upon your face, becoming
the image of the sun,
where now there are no suns,
no fire in the veins of our sky,
no infinite creation of your single
breath, or your last breath
singing
cures to our tongues,
until we become the faces
of the love you resurrect, alive
to your voice becoming song,
to your singing in the still room,
waking us to wind,
to the touch of fire
moving back into our minds,
into our breath
and touching us in time.

James Ragan

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Linda's zest for life and abounding energy was uplifting and contageous, as anyone who had the good fortune to meet her knows. I will miss her terribly but I could never forget her and all that she inspired in my own life. I have many many great memories from caring for Scottie for years while she worked, then working with her teaching preschool for Scotties class at the YMCA.
Cheryl Catavolo

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In Memory of Linda
 
 
I have so many memories of Linda, but the one that stands out clearest in my mind right now is Linda leaping three feet in the air with a huge smile on her face yelling "You can do it!  You can do it!"
 
A lot of people know that when it came to my music, Linda was one my biggest supporters ever.  She included many of my songs in her screenplay, produced some awesome music videos and came to many of my performances.
 
What is not as well known is that she supported my efforts to run the Boston Marathon last year, as well as three more marathons after that.  When I ran Boston, Linda gave my friends Joe and Frances and I a ride to the starting line.  She decorated her whole car with words all over it rooting us on and she hand made big signs to hold up when we came running by. Linda, Scottie and Frank were rooting for us in Framingham, and then they cheered for us on Heartbreak Hill.  I finished in just under five hours.
 
After Boston, Joe and Frances told us they were running another marathon in Maine the next month.  I said I would go up there and run that one, too, and Linda immediately said she was going to run it, too.  She only trained for one month, but there she was at the starting line, and sure enough, she completed the whole 26.2 miles in just under five hours, the same time I ran Boston.
 
The third marathon I ran was in July in Wakefield where we ran a loop around a lake nine times.  Linda was flying home from Prague that day, but she had Johnny Mac pick her up at the airport and drive her straight to the course.  When I was about 21 miles into the run with three laps to go, Linda showed up and ran with me the rest of the way, keeping my spirits up and getting me water to drink, and I finished in just over four hours.
 
My goal for my fourth marathon, the Bay State Marathon in Lowell, was to run it in a time under 3 hours and 30 minutes, which would qualify me for the Boston Marathon.  The first time I ran Boston I was unofficial, and this time I wanted to be official.  I trained hard, but I had many doubts that I could complete it that fast.  Linda never did, she kept saying I was going to do it.
 
I never asked anyone to go to that race because I wanted to stay focused, so I drove up there alone and started the race without anyone there to cheer me on.  But at the 3 mile mark, there was Linda with a big sign in her hand that said, "Run Hard, Damgaard!"  She was smiling that big smile of hers and I smiled back and high-fived her as I ran by.
 
At the 13 mile mark, there was Linda again, with a big grin and a sign that said, "Pain Is Only Temporary, Glory Is Forever!"  "You're right on pace," she yelled as I high-fived her again and surged on.  Linda knew what time I needed to run, down to my mile splits, and she knew the window of time I had to be under in order to make it in three and half hours. 
 
When I came to the 23 mile mark, I could see Linda looking down the road for me.  I saw her first and I drifted over to her side of the road.  I had three miles to go and when she saw me she knew I was on pace to make it and she leapt about three feet in the air, pumping her fist and yelling, "You can do it!  You can do it!"
 
I'll never forget that moment.  When I saw her doing that, I got goose bumps, and for the first time I thought, yes I can do this, I really can.  Linda jumped on her bike and yelled, "I'll see you at Victory Park!"  She met me at the finish line and had a nice cold beer waiting for me.  I finished in 3 hours and 26 minutes, four minutes ahead of the time I needed.  Linda and I laughed and laughed with joy for about twenty minutes.  I felt like she and I had won the race together.
 
I'm really going to miss that woman, she was so good to me.  I can't stop thinking about her, and at the same time, I know I've got to carry on.  Linda left me with so much inspiration and I'm going to use that to keep me going.  And I know, every time I try to achieve something and work hard at it, I'm going to see a vision of Linda jumping three feet in the air yelling, "You can do it!  You can do it!"
 
I'll never forget you, Linda,
 
Scott Damgaard