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Memories of Linda ... Joe and Linda Remembered

By Bryan Deane

Man it is hard to believe that tragic day was 20 years ago.  Linda and I as most know were a couple before she and Joe started dating. Linda was a dynamo simply put a force of nature.

One thing I will always remember is how fiercely she would approach her duties as a flag marshal, flag chief or friend. Case in point, we were at Lime Rock for a Regional that I was the Flag Chief for and she was working a station.  The event was a late July race and I remember on the morning of the race as we were (actually Linda) were driving up from Greenwood Lake talking about station assignments and personnel because I was still playing with who I was assigning where.  I had said that I was putting her in Race Control with me for the day and was looking at who I was going to assign to the rest of the stations.  At which point she said she absolutely wanted to be on a station and there was no arguing the point.  So, I relented and assigned her to a station.

As is typical for late July the day was extremely hot and at lunch I was asking her if she was doing ok and if she wanted to come off station to be in Race Control, which resulted in a very terse “Bite Me!” from her. Well, I made a mental note to keep track of her on the down low by asking her station partners when they were on Comms and at one point one of the guys thought maybe it was time to get her some relief.  Well, Linda heard this and grabbed the head set then proceed to tell me I had better send the “army” if I was pulling her off station. Of course, I had already dispatched track rescue and told her she was coming in and that it was the end of the discussion.  Linda came in grudgingly, of course, and was taken to medical for a checkup.

At the end of the session, I went to check on her and was greeted with another “Bite ME! I was fine” when she saw me. Well, she eventually made her way up to Race Control and proceeded to sit in the back of the room to continue cooling off. At one point as the GT1, GT2 and AS cars were rolling down pit lane to go out for their session I turned around to find Linda stretched out on the floor sleeping! At which point I motioned to Walt Huber to take a look and his comment was “good call” getting her off station but you’re going to catch hell on the way home you realize that right? Yeah, I know.

As we were leaving at the end of the day I asked if she was ok and without argument, or asking, she handed me the car keys and said you drive. Not 5 minutes later as we’re driving through Sharon I look over and she’s sound asleep….again. Ninety minutes later, back in Greenwood Lake and I finally had to wake her to let her know we were home. So, much for catching hell….

I miss both tremendously, as a side note Joe was trying to help track down my dad’s old 52 Morgan Flat Rad that I wanted to see if could be acquired.