Linda passed away peacefully on June 7th with family by her side in Annandale Virginia where she lived the last three years of her life. Her kindness and appreciation for simple things like blue sky, being with family, and a good dessert persisted even in the late stages of Alzheimer’s. Linda was a 41-year resident of Sayville, New York and past President and the first administrator of the Sayville Historical Society. She led the historic renovation of the Edwards Homestead and its placement on the National Registry of Historic Places. Linda was steadfast in her commitment to the town and its history – working with a dedicated group of Society members and friends to publish Sayville and West Sayville Pictured Through the Years – creating displays, preserving collections, conducting research for residents, and giving talks at the Sayville library.

Linda was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Roslyn, Long Island. She began her studies in mathematics at University of Maryland and completed them at Adelphi University. Later, she became certified in Museum Studies and studied American history at Stony Brook University. Linda wrote her master’s thesis about slavery on Long Island and researched women’s contributions to development of the early United States government for her doctoral thesis.

Linda was hardworking and was fun to be with. She loved to dance and to be in nature – taking delight in small creatures, waterfalls, and wooded paths. She was a wonderful life partner, and devoted mother and grandmother who is deeply missed by her husband Joe; her daughters, Keri and Sarah; their spouses, Sharon and Aimee; her grandchildren, James, Ryan, and Kai. Linda is survived by her sister Trish Shaw and reunited in death with her parents, Kay and Jim Martin, and sister, Bev Wright.

A memorial service will be held July 18th from 11am to 1pm at Raynor and D’Andrea Funeral Home in West Sayville, NY. Linda’s ashes will be interred at Saint Ann’s of Sayville, NY. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Sayville Historical Society, Alzheimer’s Association, or the African American Policy Forum.