Linda Dickerson Haynie Gleiter

Linda Dickerson Haynie Gleiter passed from this earth on December 10, 2020. She was born, the oldest of four siblings, on April 14, 1949 in Tahlequah, Ok, the capital of the Cherokee nation in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. Her parents , Phoebe Davis Dickerson and Alvin Dickerson, Jr., were part owners of Ozark Nurseries and natives of Tahlequah for several generations back. Linda attended public school in Tahlequah and was baptized in that town into the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. Her father was a big believer in teaching children to work and Linda and her siblings had many household chores and paying jobs while growing up. Linda’s first paying job was washing windows at Ozark Nursery for 10 cents a window when she was 6. When Linda was 14, her parents purchased Simpson Nursery in Monticello, FL and the family relocated there. While in Monticello, she attended Jefferson County High School , graduating in 1967. She was also a member of First Presbyterian Church while in Monticello where she sang in the choir. Linda was an honors student who played clarinet in the school band, was active in many school activities and was the school representative to Girls State. She went on to attend the University of Florida where she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and met her husband-to-be: Doug Haynie, a resident of Orlando, Florida. Linda graduated from the Univ. of Florida in 1971 with a Business degree in Marketing. After her graduation, Linda and her college roommate both got jobs as stewardesses with Delta Airlines and were based in New Orleans. Doug Haynie stayed on at Univ of Florida to get his MBA in Finance while Linda was working for Delta.. In 1972, the couple wed and moved to California where Doug was stationed at Edwards Air Force Base as director of the base budget. After Doug received an honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1974, the couple moved to Los Angeles where Doug worked for Bank of America and Linda had a job in the ad department of the local newspaper. In 1975, the couple moved again, this time to the San Francisco area, where Doug took a job as a salesman for American Hospital Supply.

By the end of 1977, Linda had her first child, a son, but continued to work until her second child, a girl, was born in 1980. At that time, she retired to be a full-time homemaker. During her years at home, Linda became a master gardener and her home in Atherton was featured on many home garden tours in the area. She was also active in the League of Women Voters, Bible Study Fellowship, and Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. She trained herself to be an expert flower arranger, was a very good cook and excelled in many types of needlework. Her husband Doug, meanwhile, moved from sales with American Hospital Supply to become a successful real estate developer. However, by the mid 1990’s, Linda and Doug Haynie agreed to amicably divorce. Linda took on a part-time job managing a yacht for a wealthy businessman while continuing to stay home for her children. Post divorce Linda surrounded herself with a special group of California friends for fellowship and Bible study. Among these, Mary Smith was treasured as her West Coast mom and became an important part of both Linda’s and her children’s’ lives.

Linda began to take yearly trips to Tuscany, ITALY as part of an annual house swap. She treasured her time in Italy, spending halcyon days in the olive orchards, cooking, and visiting with her friends from the States who would come over during her month long stays. Linda was especially gratified to become a Guardian at Litem for a foster child in the Bay Area, remaining close to this child until Linda’s recent death.

By 2008, both of Linda’s children had graduated from college and were considering relocating to the East Coast. Linda sold the family home in Atherton, CA and followed her daughter to Atlanta, GA. A few years later, her son also moved to Atlanta. Linda bought a townhouse in Alpharetta and joined Northpoint Community Church. At Northpoint, .Linda met Howard Gleiter , a widower, on a church-sponsored hike and married him September 14, 2013. She organized a Bible Study among her neighbors and knitted newborn baby caps, about 50 per month, for local hospitals. She even joined a political group for a few years. Her daughter married while in Atlanta and produced two beautiful granddaughters whom Linda cherished. Later, when her daughter’s family relocated to Apex, NC, Linda continued on in Alpharetta with her new husband and her son close by,…driving up to NC often to see her granddaughters.

Linda had a passion for dogs and made sure her family always had four legged members. Duchess and Oreo (Springer Spaniels) and Cocoa (German Short-haired Pointer) provided years of companionship and joy for Linda and family. Linda even successfully bred Oreo and treated her kids to the experience of raising 14 puppies in the home. After her move to Alpharetta, Linda cherished her Bichon Frise, Desi, who was never far from her. She was also active in fostering and training therapy dogs and spent many hours down at Canine Assistants in Atlanta doing volunteer work and offering financial support.

Linda had a love of adventure and travel which she shared with her new husband. While in California, Linda had organized multiple family trips to Hawaii, Mexico, and Florida as well as month long trips to Fiji and Australia. As the years passed, Linda traveled more and more, venturing to Europe for garden tours, sightseeing, and relaxation. She also toured Israel, Scandinavia, Russia, and almost all of Western Europe. For the last few years, Linda and Howard spent a portion of every winter in Costa Rica, taking their dog Desi along with them.

In July, Linda suffered several falls which resulted in traumatic brain injury and was complicated by blood pressure problems due to PRES. These led to a six month rapid decline in her health and subsequent death. She will be sorely missed for her charm and positive attitude, her strong Christian faith, her well-read intelligence, her kindness, and generosity to others, her work ethic instilled in her by her father, and her artistic talent inherited from her mother. She was the glue that held her family together.

Linda was preceded in death by her mother, Phoebe Davis Dickerson, and her father, Alvin L. Dickerson, Jr. and her youngest sister, Jo Ann Dickerson. She is survived by her two children: Drew Haynie of Alpharetta, GA. and Brooke Haynie Cook (husband Grason and daughters Savannah & Aubrey) of Apex, NC. Linda is also survived by her husband Howard Gleiter of Alpharetta, GA. and her stepchildren through him: John Gleiter (wife Denise and children Brittany & Chris), Susan Gleiter Bates (husband Michael and sons Brandon & Andrew ) all of Cumming ,GA and David Gleiter (wife Natalee and children Chelsea and Garrett) of Maitland, FL. Linda is survived by two siblings: Tom Dickerson (wife Jean and sons Ted and Ben) of Norcross, GA, and Jane Dickerson Richbourg (husband Tom and children Mary Beth, Phoebe, Abby & Ben) of Maitland, FL. And as previously mentioned, Linda is survived by her California surrogate mom, Mary Smith, of Vancouver, CANADA.

Two memorial services will be held for Linda. The first will take place in Atlanta, GA at Northpoint Community Church Attic (at the rear entrance) on February 4, 2021 at 2 pm. The second will take place in California at the Menlo Circus Club on March 5, 2021. A small reception for close family and friends will follow.