Linda is a retired Army Nurse. She joined the military after graduating from the University of Virginia, serving on active duty in San Francisco and South Korea. After leaving active duty to work as a registered nurse for the VA, she joined the Army Reserves where she served as a Lt. Colonel until she retired in 2000. At the VA, Linda specialized in renal transplant, hemodialysis, and infection control.
She always felt her life would be somewhat non-conventional. When she was 10, during a deep discussion with friends about their life plans, she said she was never going to get married, and she was going to adopt her children. As she got older and remained single, that conversation came back to her and adopting a child was frequently in her thoughts.
Her expectation of a happy result from taking in a child were bolstered by the sweet reminiscences of an army nursing friend who had adopted a Korean child while serving in South Korea and had an exceptionally loving bond with her daughter. When another friend, also an army nurse, adopted a Cambodian child, the seeds of desire for a child were further germinated. So while still single and in her late thirties, Linda starting reaching out to adoption agencies.
She wanted a little girl, deciding aged three would be perfect. While searching for the right child, a representative from Catholic Family Charities asked her to host a 15-year old refugee from Cambodia, Phavy, for a week while her foster family would be out of town. Linda agreed to help out, little suspecting she would fall in love with this beautiful girl who would become her daughter. She later adopted Phavy’s sister, Sokly, as well. She could not have imagined how rich these girls would make her life nor how much joy her seven grandchildren would bring.
The other part of her early life plan did not work out as she had expected. While serving at Ft. Eustis, VA, after being called up for active duty during Operation Desert Storm, she fell in love with a wonderful Christian man, Ted, who soon became her husband. Ted, a dentist, served in the Navy and completed his career as an Army reserve dentist. He became like a father to her girls and was the much-loved grandfather to her grandchildren. Sadly, the Lord took Ted home just before their 10-year anniversary. With God’s incredible grace, during Ted’s 16-month battle with lung cancer, Linda and Ted learned to view each day as a gift from The Lord and to live in His joy, praising Him for every moment they had together.
Linda has always had a heart for ministry. For 15 years, she headed the 4-5 year old Mission Program at her church. She currently attends Grove Avenue Baptist Church and Bible Study at WEAG Church. Her love of children and desire to serve others bought her to her place on the Board of Serving in Jesus’ Name.
Psalm 118:24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
