Linda Walker Freeland

Linda Walker Freeland of Merritt Island, FL passed away peacefully at her home on March 26, 2025. She was 84 years old. Born in Albany, NY on June 16, 1940 and raised in New Hartford, NY, Linda “Lin” was a 1958 graduate of New Hartford Central School. She attended Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY for her first two years of college, then transferred to Russell Sage College in Troy, NY where she

graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor of Science degree. After college, Lin worked for Eastman Kodak at the World’s Fair in Rochester, NY. During her time in Rochester, she met and married David Freeland, who was a Sportswriter for the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle newspaper.

In 1967, when Dave moved to the corporate world, they relocated to Pittsburgh, PA. Over the next 35 years, they moved north to Buffalo, NY, back to Pittsburgh, east to Morris Plains, NJ, and finally, in 2003, retired south to Merritt Island, FL. Lin quickly fell in love with all things Florida, and Merritt Island specifically. A mother and homemaker in her early years, she became an administrative assistant and ultimately, office manager, for a Nasdaq-listed medical company in New Jersey that owned and operated magnetic resonance imaging facilities.

Linda and Dave traveled extensively all over the world. Their trips included visits to all 50 states, multiple countries in Europe, Africa, South America, all over the Caribbean, and even Antarctica. However, her favorite trips were those taken “back up north” to visit family for the holidays and quick getaways. She was a member of P.E.O. International in her younger years as well as the Red Hats and the Moose Lodge after arriving in Merritt Island.

Lin cherished all her friendships - from her closest friend (her sister) to childhood friends in upstate New York, college “besties,” those collected from the multiple towns she and Dave lived in, and her “Forever Young” group in Florida. It is a testament that many remained close throughout her life.

Linda’s dedication to her family was incredible - supporting her husband Dave throughout his career and lovingly caring for him later in life and, being an amazing mother and role model to her son Jay. However, her most treasured role was being “Grammy” to Joel and Evan.

Lin was a loving wife, mom, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend. She is survived by her sister Donna Ricketts (Robert), son Jay (Donna), grandsons Joel and Evan, nephews Andrew, Doug (Susann) and Bob (Benita), nieces Janet, Kim and Lynne (Taidgh), and multiple cousins, grand nephews and grand nieces.

Services will be held on Saturday, April 12. Visiting hours will be held from 11:00AM-12:00PM followed by a short service at the Wylie-Baxley Funeral Home, 1360 North Courtenay Parkway, Merritt Island, FL 32953. Interment will follow immediately after at Georgiana Cemetery, 3970 Crooked Mile Road, Merritt Island, FL 32952. A celebration of Linda’s life will be held at the home of her son and daughter-in-law on Merritt Island at the conclusion of the graveside ceremony. All family and friends are invited to join.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tim’s Kids Special Hockey (https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/fundraising/db1ff379-8479-4eb8-981b-044d606debea) or AIM Services (https://www.aimservicesinc.org/get-involved/donate/?give=8NDR96EK).