Linda Therrien

Linda Elizabeth Therrien

1949 - 2019

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Linda

Obituary of Linda Elizabeth Therrien

Linda E. Therrien

Born Oct. 30th in Tacoma WA, to Ernest and Ragnhild Johnson, proud Swedish immigrants. She passed on to be with previous family and special lifelong friend Edwards Aulerick. She was the last of four children and joined sisters MaryAnn, Karin, and brother Marvin at their family home of many years on South 8th St in Tacoma. She was proud of being a Jason Lee Bobcat and due to boundary changes missed going to Stadium high School with most of her friends and wound up at Wilson High School instead, graduating in 1968. She got one of her first jobs at Peoples store in the lunch counter that she referred to as one of her favorite places to be. Later she moved on to attend Clover park Business School and found work in several offices in the Tacoma area.

Linda was a perfect example of a product of the 60’s. That period of time in her life formed the mottos she lived by and the mantra until her last breath. She despised war, hatred and anything or person who caused anyone or anything pain. Her favorite slogans were “Mean People Sucks”, “Be Kind”, and “Don’t be Mean”. She always took the side of the underdog except her Seahawks. When she started watching them she didn’t know a quarterback from a tight end but became far more knowledgeable than I on who did what on the team, always reminding me when it was Seahawk Blue Friday.

We met one morning while picking up a co-worker on my way to work. She was staying over for a couple of days at their house nursing a cold. I happened to have a cold lozenge to offer her and she told her girlfriend she was convinced at that moment that she was going to marry that guy, and that proved to become a reality.

A rather unconventional first date was an offer by me to hitch hike to California which only took minutes for her to agree too. A few days later found us on a freeway on ramp with thumbs out heading out on our first adventure.

That lead to many years of spontaneous travels around the state in tents, old converted school buses, and a few years spent in teepees, tapper wall tents and nights under the stars in just cold sleeping bags. Through it all she remained a good sport.

After marrying in 1974 and the birth of sons Ryan in 1983, the chance to move to the family beach house was the next big change in her life. Summer weekends were always filled with family, friends, kids, and boating. Cookouts were the norm where she could put hamburgers on the grill like a card dealer. Everyone was always welcome and her Fourth of July campouts were epic. Popcorn treats and cookies were a standard. Clams began to fear her shovel and rake for that was a weekend guest specialty.

Holiday celebrations, dinners, and decorating her house and hanging pictures with sixteen penny nails was the usual and accepted way to do things.

The move away from the beach was a touch choice but Linda reinvented herself in the new home with a love of what was a badly neglected and overgrown yard. Her vision played out and a new and final project began. Still unfinished, the yard was her sanctuary. She and her constant companion, rescue dog Ceasar, walked it many times a day, rain or shine. In her honor the yard will continue to be tinkered with.

Please know her entire focus in life was to be a good person, a friend to all, a lover of animals, children, and the best possible wife and mom she could be. Damned if she didn’t pull it off.

At her request, in lieu of any remembrances, please donate to any charity of your choice, or to her pet organization:

Chews Dog Rescue

5803 125th St Ct NW

Gig Harbor, WA 98322 C/O Linda Therrien, in name of Ceasar.