<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto">Dick,<div><br></div><div>I remember you and Linda were second priors at the Denver Religious House in 1971-72, when Tim and Kay Lush were the first priors; and you found the tunnel the Order kids had dug out from our basement dorm, our own Steve McQueen Great Escape. </div><div><br></div><div>Linda was a kind and loving soul, and more more patient and forgiving than we rambunctious teenagers deserved for all our shenanigans. The Denver RH was my best growth year during my 6-year Youth Deployment period, in large part because of the strong and steady leadership of the priors. What a beautiful tribute you gave her. ❤️</div><div><br></div><div>David </div><div><br></div><div><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPhone<div>David Marshall</div><div>www.marshallbooks.net</div><div> </div></div><div dir="ltr"><br><blockquote type="cite">On Jun 2, 2025, at 8:37 PM, Susan Fertig via OE <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style>@font-face { font-family: "Cambria Math"; }
@font-face { font-family: Calibri; }
@font-face { font-family: Aptos; }
@font-face { font-family: Papyrus; }
@font-face { font-family: "Segoe UI"; }
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; }
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }
span.gmailsignatureprefix { }
span.EmailStyle22 { font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: windowtext; }
.MsoChpDefault { }
@page WordSection1 { size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 1in; }
div.WordSection1 { page: WordSection1; }</style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Oh, my—news I wasn’t expecting and wouldn’t have wanted, but with which I rejoice with you, Dick, in celebrating Linda’s life.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">She was always such an inspiration to me when I was working in Croatia and Bosnia. I remember very fondly when she came to help us with a 50-person facilitation training (and
our skinny dipping at midnight in the hotel pool!). She was always ready to try anything and she always had such wise counsel for us. Likewise, when I (frequently) drove to Belgium and participated in your training sessions there and other meetings, I always
looked to Linda for sage analysis of whatever situation presented. I hadn’t seen her in years, but I’ll miss her!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:Papyrus;color:#080808">Susan<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:#080808"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Papyrus;color:#080808">Susan Fertig-Dykes<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:Papyrus;color:#080808"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Papyrus">And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought . Isaiah 58:11</span></i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Papyrus"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> OE <oe-bounces@lists.wedgeblade.net>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Richard Alton via OE<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, June 02, 2025 7:57 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Order Ecumenical Community <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net>; Colleague Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net><br>
<b>Cc:</b> Richard Alton <richard.alton@gmail.com><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Oe List ...] In Loving Memory of Linda Alton<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in">
<div>
<blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid #CCCCCC 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in">
<div>
<div>
<p><strong><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif;color:#500050">In Loving Memory of Linda Alton </span></strong><span style="color:#500050"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#500050">Linda Alton’s life was one of courage, conviction, and compassionate service. From her early days at the University of California, Berkeley—where she earned both her B.A. and M.A. between 1963 and 1970—Linda was a powerful force
for change. As editor of the <em><span style="font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif">Berkeley Yearbook</span></em> and an active voice in the Free Speech Movement and the anti-Vietnam War resistance, she stood firmly for justice and truth, even when it wasn’t easy.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#500050">While still a student, Linda journeyed to Harlem to work in storefront schools, helping high school students who had dropped out find their way back to education and hope. It was there she encountered the Ecumenical Institute,
whose mission of global community service would soon become her own. In 1970, she joined the Institute’s staff in San Francisco, beginning a lifelong commitment to international development and human dignity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#500050">In 1976, with her young daughter Christina by her side, Linda moved to the Philippines to co-direct a USAID-funded community development project with the newly formed Institute of Cultural Affairs (ICA). There, she led efforts
to support women’s small businesses, empowering families and transforming communities from the ground up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#500050">Her journey continued to Kenya, where Linda and her growing family—including her second daughter, Kay, born in Nairobi—devoted themselves to uplifting lives in both urban slums and rural villages. Together with a local staff of
150, she helped shape development initiatives that reached thousands of communities across the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#500050">Later, in Brussels, Belgium, Linda served as Program Director at ICA’s global headquarters, bringing her deep wisdom, compassion, and leadership to an international stage.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#500050">She moved to Minnesota with her partner Lynne Larsen to create a home for themselves in Minneapolis. She was a lead </span><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#500050">technical trainer/convenor
with Minnesota Technology of Participation up until she retired. </span><span style="color:#500050"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="color:#500050">Linda’s legacy is not just found in the places she lived or the programs she led—but in the countless lives she touched, the justice she stood for, and the love she gave so freely. Her spirit lives on in the communities she served
and in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. (Daughters: Christina & Katherine Alton, Grandson: Wyatt Wren, Wife: Lynne Larsen)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="gmailsignatureprefix">-- </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Richard H. T. Alton<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">ICA Global Fund<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">United Methodist Net Zero<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">T: 773.344.7172<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:richard.alton@gmail.com" target="_blank">richard.alton@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Make Plain the Vision, Habakkuh 2:2<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Won't you be my neighbor?</span><o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<span>_______________________________________________</span><br><span>OE mailing list</span><br><span>OE@lists.wedgeblade.net</span><br><span>http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net</span><br></div></blockquote></div></body></html>