Linda Van Wallinga

Linda Ann Van Wallinga (Ms Van), age 73 of Willow Alaska, Passed away on November 29, 2018 after 14 year battle fighting her Lyposcarcoma cancer. She passed away at her home in Willow with her husband Fred and sons Josh and Seth by her side. Linda far eclipsed her time the cancer gave her. She fought it valiantly and bravely for many years with great help from her doctors, friends and family.

Linda was in born Santa Monica CA on August 10, 1945 to Hank and Frances Murdock. Her Family moved north to Ukiah California soon after her birth, where she graduated from high school. She attended Humboldt State University where she graduated in 1967 in Physical Education. After teaching in California for 2 years she moved north to Fairbanks where she taught at Ryan Junior High School and then North Pole High School until 1982. While teaching in Fairbanks she fell in love with coaching Volleyball and working with students, she maintained contact with for more than 45 years. While at Ryan, she met Fred at a conference and they became friends not knowing 10 years later, they would meet again and they would never part, getting married in June off 1982. She and her sons moved to Juneau for a year and in August of 1983 the family moved to Wasilla where she got a job, before Fred, as the Physical Education teacher and coach of x-country running, volleyball and track and field at Wasilla High School. She loved it there and retired from her P.E. job in 1995 but continued to coach for track for a few more years, thanks to her favorite principal Dwight Probasco.

She loved living in the Mat Su, especially after making a lake home in Willow. She helped design and remodel the cabin into a comfortable home and one she enjoyed doing her crafts, the view and making many new friends.

Linda has two wonderful sons, Josh and Seth Marquette, who enriched her life in many ways. They introduced her to New York where Josh is a leading theatrical hair designer on Broadway and across the globe, which he travels to create and build his award-winning designs. Seth opened many theatrical doors for her as a manager, executive producer and currently the Director of Production Development for Disney Theatrical Productions, where he is also heavily involved in creating shows worldwide. They opened a new world to Linda, in which for she completely fell in love.

The cancer Linda fought those 14 years is very rare and one that slowly takes one’s life, Linda did not go easily. She loved her family, her friends, her doctors and those who assisted her in those many months over these many years. Her family will never be able to thank everyone here in the Mat Su medical field enough, especially Dr. Greg Lund, and those who gave so much of themselves to assist Linda in her journey with this rare cancer.

She is survived by her husband Fred; Sons, Josh and Seth; Son-in-law Casey Nicholaw; Brother Mark and wife Elise and their children; her cousin Judy and Bill Eldridge and their children; her cousin Stan Allman, Abe Sakes; her adopted son; her Alaskan Family of former students; her sisters of Women’s Wellness; and her sisters in the Mat-Su

There will be Celebration of Life at the Elks Lodge at Finger Lake March 2 at 3:30 p.m. It will be a time to share many of Linda Stories.

In Lau of flowers please make a donation to a charity of your choice in Linda’s name.