Linda was born August 24, 1940 in Columbus, Georgia to Dennis and Sara (Fossett) Howard. She lived in Columbus with her mother throughout World War II, while her father served in the army. In 1951, she moved to Germany to live with her father in Frankfurt, Germany, where he was stationed. She remembered the adventure of traveling there by ship. During her stay in Germany, she traveled to other countries. She also fell in love with horses while taking riding lessons there. In 1953, she returned to Columbus, Georgia to live with her mother.
For a brief time in 1955 Linda moved to Harlan, Kentucky to help take care of her grandmother, Joanna. It was during this time that she got to know her cousin, Patsy. They stayed close after Linda moved back to Columbus. She graduated from Baker High School in 1958. She later married Tom Hammond in 1960, moving to Hawaii for his work with the army. After four years, she moved back to Georgia to work in Atlanta.
After working for a time in Atlanta, she moved back to Columbus. It was in Columbus where she met Jim Race. They both shared a love of horses, and got to know each other during the many regional horse shows they attended. Jim, having finished his tour in the army, planned to go back home to Lone Pine. At the same time, Linda had been offered a job in California. So they decided to travel out to California together. They discovered that they had so much in common that they got married on the way, in Reno, Nevada. They lived in Lone Pine and Bishop before moving to Garden Grove, California. Linda and Jim took frequent trips out to Joshua Tree National Park with their dog Muff and their cat Cat. They loved to travel, and took long trips back to Georgia to visit her mother. They moved back to Columbus in 1987 to be closer to her mother.
Linda was a very generous person. Always helping out others whenever possible. Linda enjoyed horseback riding, sewing, gardening, birdwatching, and loved to read.
Linda is preceded in death by her parents, Sara and Edwin Howard, her husband, Jim Race, nephews Richard Storey and Travis Storey, and great nephew Scott Storey. She is survived by nephews Kenneth Storey and Steve Thatch, nieces Lisa Storey, Sharon Storey, and Sheila Thatch, and cousin Patsy and her husband Ed Walton.
A gathering of family and friends will take place Friday April 19, 2024 at Striffler-Hamby Mortuary in Columbus, Georgia from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.shcolumbus.com for the Race family.
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