Linda Crowder Saunders' Obituary
Linda Crowder Saunders, much-loved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, and mother-in-law passed away on January 6 at the age of 83. She will be missed and celebrated by her husband Jim Saunders, sister Carolyn (Ralph) Levy, daughters Kimberly Miller and Laura Wright, son-in-laws Brian Miller and Alan Wright, nephew Nathan Levy and grandchildren Drew, Caroline, Kimi and Cooper. She is also missed and remembered by Jim’s family including Dawn Yarbrough, Nancy and Gus Rateau, Mary and Jim Kelly, and Francis and Robert Hinson.
Linda was born in Leesburg on February 15, 1939 to Chester and Etna Crowder of Eustis; her sister Carolyn joined the family in 1945. Linda had a deep love for her native state and her family. Education was the family trade as her father Chester was principal of Eustis High School and her mother Etna taught elementary school. Linda majored in elementary education at Florida State University and was president of her sorority, Alpha Chi Omega.
In 1961 Linda married Michael O’Connor, and they moved to Missoula, Montana where she taught school in a one-room school house, and their daughter Kimberly was born. Linda loved Montana, but Florida called and the young couple moved to Boca Raton where they welcomed their daughter Laura. Their next stop was Greenville, North Carolina and in the years that followed the family shared adventures that ranged from summers in Scandinavia living on a three-masted schooner, to countless 1970’s old-time music festivals that included The Flatland Family Band, their old-time and bluegrass group that featured Linda on guitar.
After her retirement, Linda attended the Eustis High School Class of ’57 reunion and it was there that she reconnected with her long-ago classmate Jim Saunders. After a whirlwind romance they were married in Asheville, North Carolina and enjoyed years together traveling, debating FSU vs UF every football season, and exploring the Florida they both loved.
Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared on the tribute wall.
The Memorial for Linda will be held in the Hamlin & Hilbish Chapel on Saturday, February 18th at 1 PM.
For those unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed starting at 1 PM. To access the livestream, please click the link provided below.
http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/84043/hash:849F6426364B1819
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