Tribute to Linda
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Author: Norma
Released 5 December 2005
Linda Louise Heikkinen, even her name brings a smile to your lips and face.
That is how I want to remember her. I was in California a year ago last May for
Mother’s Day with our daughter Becky, and could not pass up the chance to visit
her. Her battle with cancer was just beginning and going out for lunch a maybe,
but fortunately it was one of her good days so we spent a lovely morning and
afternoon with her laughing and remembering the days of her youth. We lived
across the street from the church for many years, so enjoyed watching her grow
up from an impish youngster to a lovely teenager. Mark, our oldest, was the same
age and living so close, they shared many good times.
Linda was a very good mimic of how our Pastor would walk, especially when he
was in a hurry to get home, and she knew how to copy his style to a “T”. One
event that had us in tears of laughter was remembering when we were lucky to
adopt a kitten that was so young you could not quite tell its sex, so it was
called Shim. Little Shim followed the kids everywhere and sometimes got
underfoot. The door between the kitchen and dining room in our apartment was
slammed several times and one time it must have hit little Shim. Kitty crawled
into its box and died. Well, when it was discovered, OHHH THE TEARS!!! So we had
to make a suitable coffin with lots of soft filling of Kleenex and tissue, and
gift wrapped in Christmas paper. When Gerald got home it was his duty to take
the kids to Glenwood Park for burial. There they sang songs, everyone they could
think of from Sunday school to Christmas carols and recited every prayer they
ever knew. In the meantime Gerald was digging in the dirt still quite frozen as
it was late March or early April. The tool he brought was not quite up to the
job and he ended digging the area with his hands. Well, the deed was done and
all came home, had supper and right after, Gerald noted his hands were swelling,
getting very red and burning and itching at the same time. We tried to treat it
at home, but by bed time it was out of control, so a trip to North Memorial
Emergency was needed. The young doctor listened to his story and saw how his
hands which were like two big lobster claws and said he had buried kitty in a
bed of Poison oak or Ivy!! Needless to say we never buried any of our pets at
home again, they all were taken care of by our vet.
Linda’s sense of humor was used many times as she grew. Helping others was
something she enjoyed. Having her mom, Bertha, a nurse, she found a good role
model so going into nursing was almost expected. Her outgoing spirit and helping
others was just her. She always gained more by giving than taking. She kept in
touch with me those long years of Gerald’s stroke and also Mark’s cancer with
notes of encouragement, recipes she liked and were good tasting for cancer
treatment times. Her spirit also had sadness when Dennis died. I’m so glad I was
able to send her a CD of music that I had found to be encouraging. We shared
many good things and I am so glad she felt comfortable letting me share some of
her sadness during her cancer treatment. But in all of this her strong faith in
Our Lord and Savior never wavered.
We are here to say good bye to a dear friend, but I would rather use a term
that is now in use among Finns. It is “Nakemiin” which translated is more like
“Till I see you again”. Heaven is our home and we will see Linda and our loved
ones when it is our turn to go.
Nakemiin, Linda!
Love, Norma (A family friend of 50+ years)