Linda M. Harris

Linda Margaret Harris (née Robinson), lifelong Staten Islander, passed away the morning of January 17, 2022. Linda was born September 29, 1942 at Staten Island Hospital. Linda's family lineage traces back to Sandy Ground, Staten Island, a prominent community for free blacks in New York's pre-Civil War era. Linda was the youngest of seven children. Her parents, Franklin and Marie Robinson, raised their children in the Stapleton neighborhood. In 1959 she graduated from Curtis High School. Linda's friend told her that a mutual friend, Ronald, was smitten by her beauty and charm. Ronald, at 6'2", towered over her 5'3" frame. He was an Air Force vet, handsome, and had a charming smile that she couldn't resist. They married on November 14, 1961. They bought a house in Todt Hill, where she lived until her dying days. Laura, her only daughter, was born in 1964; Ronald Jr., her first son, was born in 1965; and her youngest, Russell, arrived in 1967. She loved being a homemaker and raising her children.

Linda had a passion for reading. She would read for hours on end. As her children grew older, she became a librarian with the New York Public Library. She was a proud member of Oprah's Book Club and was always excited to see which book was next. Linda loved dogs and would always adopt from shelters. She often traveled with her sisters, husband, children, and grandchildren. Catalog and Walmart shopping was a big part of her days. She loved buying pajamas and personalized gifts for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

To know Linda was to love Linda. Her kindness and warmth made everyone around her feel welcome. She always had a smile on her face and always offered an encouraging word. She was generous, well spoken, gentle, caring, and loving. She exuded confidence, class, and wit. She was the anchor of her family and strived for them to be happy and at peace. Linda is survived by her husband Ronald, her daughter Laura, her son Russell; her three granddaughters, Shanell, Shamika, and Bianca; her five great-grandchildren, Madison, Joshua, Christian, Kamryn, and Eden; and the many members of the Jackson, Mabra, Robinson, and Sayers families. She was predeceased by her six siblings and her son Ronald Jr.; they are all now together in Heaven.