Linda Anne Lineback, a vibrant soul and beloved mother, grandmother, partner and friend, passed away suddenly and accidentally in her home in Carlisle, Massachusetts on the evening of April 29, 2024. She was 80 years old. Linda, or "Lin" as she was called by many friends, was a warm, genuine, and charismatic personality; she was deeply interested in people and made them feel special. Linda quickly made an impression on many people with whom she came into contact.

Linda was born on November 1, 1943 in Taunton, Massachusetts to Helen (Przygoda) and Joseph Lichacz, who was serving in the U.S. Army in Europe at the time of her birth. Her first years were spent largely under the tender loving care of her grandmother, known affectionately as "Baci." Linda liked to recall how Baci could grow something beautiful out of the smallest seed. When Linda was 13, her younger sister Lori was born. Linda resided in Taunton through her high school years, graduating from St. Mary's High School in 1961. She was bright, fun-loving, and bubbly, and had a real ability and desire to connect with people. It was no surprise she chose to become a nurse.

She earned her Registered Nurse degree from Massachusetts General Hospital's School of Nursing in 1963. While in nursing school, Linda met Lowell Kent Lineback at a Harvard College mixer. They married in 1964 and had three children between 1968 and 1973, living in Buffalo, New York, then Newton and Wellesley, Massachusetts before settling in Springfield, Virginia in 1972. Linda was very fond of this period in Springfield, enjoying a tight-knit neighborhood with lots of families, little kids, social gatherings and annual block parties.

In 1976, the family relocated to bucolic Carlisle, Massachusetts, where they built a Deck House surrounded by quiet woods, lush ferns, streams and songbirds. Linda would remain there, in her beloved home, for the next 48 years.

In 1978, Linda earned her BA degree in Psychology from Emmanuel College in Boston, Massachusetts while working as a private duty nurse. She then worked for Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) starting in 1978 as a staff nurse and evening supervisor in the operating room and then in the respiratory intensive care unit caring for critically ill patients. For several years, she worked as a manager in the esophageal motility lab, and then as a coordinator of the cardiothoracic residency program and the thoracic surgical research follow-up program. She proudly earned her MBA from Suffolk University in 1987, and then continued to work for MGH throughout the 1990s as a clinical trials coordinator, first in cardiac medicine and then for lung cancer studies. She had a special knack for recruiting participants for these studies, thanks to her natural ability to relate to and care for people and earn their trust. From 2000 until her unofficial retirement about seven years later, she continued working for MGH in various nursing and administrative capacities. She retained her nursing certification until her death, and family and friends regularly sought her medical knowledge and advice.

After her divorce in 1993, she joined a support group for divorced and widowed individuals and soon met her best friend and life partner, Carl Cline. They spent many happy years together in Carlisle, Massachusetts.

Linda believed in the importance of a great education and working hard, in being honest, and in caring for people in need; these were the ideals she espoused and endeavored to pass on to her children. She was a memorable CCD teacher at St. Irene's Catholic Church in Carlisle, bringing a big box of Dunkin' Donuts for the kids in her class every week. She was also a Boy Scout Den Leader and was skilled at commandeering her charges, always starting the meetings by having the boys run ten laps around her cul-de-sac. She served in other capacities on many Carlisle town committees, mostly ones that involved the Carlisle Public School, the well-being and safety of kids, and the elderly.

Linda greatly enjoyed traveling and getting to know people and cultures around the world. After numerous family trips to Disney World, Cape Cod, the coast of southern Maine and more, she organized a multi-week family European vacation in 1984 by lining up hostel stays and an ambitious itinerary through western Europe. In the early 1990s she made two memorable trips to Poland, the birthplace of her ancestors. Together with Carl, she traveled extensively, visiting Alaska, St. Lucia, Hawaii, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland, Nova Scotia and multiple Super Bowl events, among others. You could often find Linda and Carl seated at a local pub or tavern in these countries, chatting and laughing it up with the locals. She was also a consummate Boston sports fan, closely following the Patriots, the Red Sox, and the Celtics. She had strong opinions about, and deep loyalty to, her teams, often watching them from the comfort of her much loved recliner at home.

When her children were younger, Linda sewed many outfits, from bathing suits to quilted jackets to the best Halloween costumes a kid could ask for, and she knitted some of the most beautiful and delicate sweaters and hats. She loved cooking and baking and had a roster of favorite recipes on rotation throughout the years, including Polish favorites, but was always eager to try new and more complicated preparations. She excelled at making delicious strawberry and Concord grape jams from local (and often wild) fruits she picked herself. Her holiday "bubble wreath" bread was the star of the show every Christmas morning and will be greatly missed by all lucky enough to get one. Linda especially loved having friends and family over for special meals and occasions, and for many years Christmas and Thanksgiving were favorite events in her home, with the fireplace burning brightly, the candles shimmering, and people laughing and enjoying each other and her delicious meals.

Linda loved big cars with personality; her family will always remember her impulse purchase of a blueberry blue-colored Toyota Land Cruiser in 1987. The car was christened "Wanda", and she loved it.

Animals were always a huge presence in Linda's life; she had an affinity for all of them, whether they were cats or dogs or small rodents in cages, and she allowed as many as her kids could care for. She delighted in the vast variety of birds that visited the bird feeders at her Carlisle home throughout each season. She had a very special place in her heart for her German Shepherds, Sophie and Katie, her scruffy Lhasa Apso, Chewy, and more recently, her Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Riley, Kali, and Remi.

In the 1980s, Linda was active with aerobics and playing tennis with her group at the Heritage Pool and Racquet Club. She was very proud to have participated in Carlisle's 1982 town-wide play "When You're Over the Hill You Pick Up Speed," as a member of the leotard-dressed exercise fanatic posse. She adored being among people, laughing and chatting and having fun.

More recently, Linda had found a perfect rhythm to her life, swimming regularly at the Beede Center in Concord, Massachusetts, meeting up with friends new and old, spending time with family, staying active playing bridge, and engaging with interest groups around town. She loved her friends and family fiercely; you could always count on her to have your back in the most trying of times. She cared deeply, and gave honest advice and a sympathetic ear to anyone who needed it. She gave the BEST hugs to show someone how much she cared about them. She was deeply proud and supportive of her children and grandchildren.

Her affectionate and spirited presence could fill a room. She was known for her quick wit and quips, which were the source of many well-loved stories among her children, grandchildren, and friends.

Linda is survived by her partner of 30 years, Carl Cline of Carlisle, Massachusetts; her son Eric Lineback and wife Carla of Dummerston, Vermont; her daughter Lauren Lineback and husband Joe Cavicchi of Arlington, Massachusetts; her daughter Lesley Shearer and husband Rich of Scarsdale, New York; cherished grandchildren Ted, Phoebe, and Hadley Shearer, Nate Cavicchi, and Alina Lineback; her sister Lori Davis and husband Glenn of Bermuda and their daughters, Lindsay and Logan and their families, as well as many dear extended family members, friends and colleagues too numerous to name. She left an indelible mark on the lives of many people and will be greatly missed and loved forever.

Family and friends will gather for a memorial service on Saturday, June 8th at 10:30 am in the Farrar Chapel at Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord, Massachusetts followed by burial at Green Cemetery in Carlisle. Afterwards, guests are encouraged to join in a celebration of Linda's life at Nosh at Concord Market, in Concord, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to World Central Kitchen or The Animal Rescue League of Boston .