Linda Anderson Chisholm

Linda Chisholm died peacefully in her sleep on August 17, 2022. She wrote her own obituary, including this first line, five months before her passing. She said she just planned on going in her sleep, and so it was. The remainder of the obituary has been modified, however, as it was far too modest and tad dry. A resident of Corvallis, Oregon, Linda spent her final weeks in her home with the help of Lumina Hospice, and in the constant company and care of her loved ones. It is no understatement that she was adored by all who knew her, for her giant heart, endless capacity to give, and infectious spirit. She was quirky and playful, with a subtle sense of humor, and enjoyed gently breaking all the rules. Linda said that she disliked doing everything the same way all the time, so worked hard to change things up. She was intensely curious, delighted in life, and never failed to surprise. She was also radiantly beautiful, inside and out, and her smile lit up the room. Most of all, she loved freely, and passionately espoused, “We are all one.” Indeed, she hurt for the world’s hurts, and worked hard to make the world a kinder, more tolerant, and just place for all. Linda was born to Rhea Mitchell and Mildred Squibb Anderson in Greeneville, Tennessee on April 27, 1939. The family moved to Orlando, Florida at age nine, where she had the life changing experience of swimming with a dolphin. Linda graduated from Edgewater High School in 1957. She completed her undergraduate education at Stephens College (1959) and the University of Missouri, Columbia (1963) in English Literature. Linda married Clive ‘Scott’ Chisholm in 1963, and started a family. The couple lived in various places, including Missouri; Indiana; Wisconsin; Massachusetts; Maine; Ontario, Canada; New York; Utah; and Oregon. Over the years, they amassed a large and diverse group of close friends, as well as, an inordinate number of beloved pets. Mostly strays, this included a cross-eyed Siamese, obtained for free when Linda threatened to report the pet store owner for abuse, only to discover the skinny kitten was refusing to eat out of loneliness; a narcoleptic Vizsla, named Porkchop; and a rescued schnauzer, who slept with Linda, and also wore an eye mask to bed. Linda earned a Master’s of Education in Learning Disabilities from the University of Rochester in 1974. She was employed as the first special education teacher at the Canandaigua Primary School, in Canandaigua, NY. She taught for 12 years before accepting a clinical education position at Genesee Hospital in Rochester, NY. She relocated to Logan, Utah with her husband in 1988. There, she worked for 15 years at a Utah State University program in various capacities; as an employment specialist for persons with mild disabilities; a coordinator for an assistive technology program; and, a learning disabilities diagnostician and education program developer in Logan and on the Navajo and Hopi Reservations. Linda had a gift for teaching, and for helping her student’s find creative ways of learning. Years after retiring, she would receive notes of gratitude from former students, grateful for the tools she gave them, or relaying how they felt stupid until she identified and explained their specific learning disability. Linda and her husband moved to Corvallis, Oregon in 2005 to be closer to her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren, after Scott suffered a severe stroke. She cared lovingly and selflessly for her husband until his death in 2007. As her daughter proclaimed, she then became “The Busiest Retired Person Ever.” Linda joined ALL, bible study (Emmaus), a book group, poetry groups, centering prayer, the Stonybrook Emergency Preparedness Committee, Nia, the NAACP, and an interfaith group working for universal health care, among others. She volunteered for Hospice, the homeless drop-in center, the women’s shelter, No One Dies Alone, St. Vincent Du Paul Outreach, and the soup kitchen, and was a tireless advocate for Healthcare for All. In her free time, she took salsa lessons, cultivated a friendship with the neighborhood crows, and embarked on learning to play the harp. Linda relished every moment she shared with her daughter and family, especially after the necessary distance they kept from the covid pandemic and her compromised health. There was a joyous ‘first’ embrace with her grandson after he became eligible for vaccines; and a memorable ‘first’ holiday meal where she delighted that her son-in-law wore a fancy hat. Linda found significance in all the small moments. Once, when her teenage daughter complained about her chores, she told her to do them as if she was doing them for God, because every act or responsibility has importance. As a Mamaw, she rejoiced in attending ballet performances, school events, and spending time with her granddaughter and grandson. They made famous their ‘Mamaw texts,’ which were sometimes non-sensical or arrived in multiples, as she learned a new skill. Linda had an enormous number of close friends, as she genuinely and generously shared her heart with others. In Corvallis, she made a “family” in her new community, attending Friday night happy hours and monthly birthday parties with neighborhood friends. Linda was preceded in death by both parents; a son, Sean Mitchell Chisholm; a granddaughter, Amelia Garrison; nephew, Tim Carter; and, her husband, Clive Alexander (Scott) Chisholm. She is survived by a brother, Samuel Richard Anderson (Marybeth Anderson), from Chattanooga, TN; a daughter, Laura Caitlin Chisholm (Patrick Garrison); two grandchildren, Francis Finn and James Ry Garrison of Corvallis; a son, Christopher Budd (Tom Lavash) from Truro, MA; Sister-in-law, Laura Carter; and numerous nieces and nephews. Linda was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Corvallis. A funeral Mass will be held for her on October 7, 2022 at 11 am. She will be interred at the Oakwood Cemetery in Corvallis, alongside her son, and with her late cat, Squeaky Clean. The Memorial Mass will be live streamed, To watch, please copy this link: https://youtu.be/f5_uwJzOyDE Linda was a closeted writer until friends from her poetry group encouraged her to self-publish her body of work. She completed a poetry collection, What Does One Say, shortly before her death. Her wish was to donate all proceeds from the sale of the book to help Ukrainian refugees in Corvallis’ sister city, Uzhhorod. To purchase a book, please go to https://sistercities.corvallis.or.us/support-our-refugees-in-uzhhorod. Please note there are a limited number of copies. In lieu of flowers, donations can also be made directly to The Uzhhorod Refugee Fund, Citizens Bank, 978 Circle Blvd, Corvallis, OR 97330, or https://gofund.me/a28dca8d.

Linda Anderson Chisholm

April 27, 1939 - August 17, 2022