Richard Linden

January 4, 1940 — October 14, 2024

After 84 years and 288 days, Richard Linden “slipped the surly bonds of Earth” on October 14, 2024 and passed into the heavens. He was a husband, dad, grandpa, 50-year jogger, and physician.

Dick was born in Hibbing, Minnesota on January 4, 1940. He was the youngest child and his life was shaped by having an older brother with muscular dystrophy who was unable to walk after the age of 10 and died in his 20s and a mother with dystrophy who was afflicted early in her adult life and by the age of 40 was using a walker. In her late 60s, she was so weakened that she was bedridden for the remaining 10 years of her life. During his early years while living at home, Dick became the “go for” child, performing tasks, running errands, and providing care. He attended Hibbing schools and graduated from Hibbing High School in 1958. Unlike a few celebrated Hibbing High School graduates (Minnesota Governor 1983-91, NBA Hall of Fame inductee 1999, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee 1988, and Nobel laureate 2016), Dick did not possess any unique aptitude or skill. So after high school, he took a traditional route which included eight years of formal education. In September 1962, while a freshman in medical school at the University of Minnesota, he met his future wife, Joanne, at a social function. After a nearly two-year courtship, they were married on June 19, 1964. Two years later, in June 1966, Dick received a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Minnesota. This was followed by four years of pathology training at the University of Vermont (1966-70) and two years as a pathologist at William Beaumont Army Medical Center in El Paso, Texas (1970-72). Dick’s final stop was in Eau Claire, WI, where he started working in 1972 at Luther Hospital and later finished his career in 2012 working for Mayo Clinic Health System.

Along the way, Dick and Joanne started a family and raised three exceptional children. As a family, they spent time at their cottage swimming, sledding, skating, making oatmeal raisin cookies, playing cards/board games, listening to the jukebox, and skiing at Mt. Hardscrabble; biked many of the regional trails and back roads; vacationed together during spring breaks; and did homework with Dick concentrating on math and science and Joanne focusing on writing and language skills.

In his retirement years, Dick and Joanne spent summers at their cottage on Shell Lake and winters in Eau Claire. They enjoyed both places. Dick was the chief cook and bottle washer, and Joanne wrote her children’s picture books. It was a pattern that worked.

At 84 years old, Dick was ready to go. He had lived a full life, and was tired. And the universe granted him his wish. Those wishing him goodbye include : his wife Joanne, daughter Katie, her husband Mark, and their children Emilie and Jack; daughter Jane and her life partner Jim Walters; and son Mike and his husband Marc Schulte.

Safe travels my friend. The memories of the cottage plus the many photos, posters, birthday cards, and holiday greeting cards left behind will serve as a reminder of the journey we shared.

A private service will be held at a later date. Burial will be at Northern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery, Spooner, WI.

Cremation Society of Wisconsin, Altoona is assisting the family. Online condolences may be shared at www.cremationsociety-wi.com .

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Richard Linden

January 4, 1940 — October 14, 2024

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