May 28, 1947 to May, 10, 2014
Linda Muriel Tucker KaiKai was born on May 28, 1947, in Denver, Colorado to Sharon Anita Tucker of Casper, Wyoming and Warren Tucker of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Linda had a younger brother, Warren Jr. with whom she was very close. The family was part of a tight-knit African American community in Denver.
From an early age Linda demonstrated the skills of an expert student. Linda graduated with honors from Washburn High School, 4th in a class of 750 and was awarded a Rockefeller Fellowship to attend the prestigious Reed College in Portland, Oregon. While at Reed, Linda studied French and convinced the dean to allow her to craft her own program of study that included coursework abroad. In 1968 Linda departed to France and received a French Study Diploma from the University of Nantes.
Linda completed her Bachelor of Arts degree from Reed and began graduate studies in French at St. Cloud State University (SCSU) in Minnesota. Later, Linda applied to serve as a teaching assistant and was elevated to a teaching assistantship in French. While at SCSU Linda saw another opportunity to expand her global experience and in 1973 applied and began studies in the Netherlands, living there until 1980. During this time, Linda traveled throughout Europe and became fluent in Dutch, French and German. While living in the Netherlands she managed a health food store and became a lifelong advocate for healthy eating and living.
Linda’s love of learning became a trademark of her life. She was an avid reader and maintained a home library with a collection covering a vast range of topics including history, art, ancient cultures, jazz, architecture, spirituality, cooking, health, mythology and travel. Both her collection of books and personal knowledge were a wellspring of advice to all those who knew her.
Upon returning from her long European journey, Linda married and settled in Harford County, Maryland. In 1983, Linda gave birth to her only son, Peter Alex Parker, who made her realize “my vacation days are over” and she began enjoying the pleasures of motherhood.
Linda’s ability to effortlessly engage with those from diverse backgrounds and her passion for helping others became themes of her professional career. Of note is her work at Open Doors Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on assisting battered women. Linda returned to education at Harford Community College (HCC) where she worked in admissions and was instrumental in advocating for a diverse student body. Linda also taught courses and led the International Student Association where she helped create a welcoming environment for international students. Linda was instrumental in piloting the Project PASS initiative, an intervention program for at risk middle school students. In 1995, the county executive of Harford County appointed her to the Human Relations Commission. In this role Linda helped elected leaders address challenging issues around race, gender and class. Linda completed her career at the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), making many friends during her time there. Of additional note is Linda’s membership in the AKA Sorority graduate chapter and the National Association for Multicultural Education.
Linda was a fan of the arts and maintained an extensive art, photography and music collection. Linda was a regular attendee at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and supported various local arts and media, including local PBS and NPR stations.
Linda was very fond of having reconnected with her family history and childhood friends in Denver. Through those relationships she discovered that Winks Lodge, a log cabin built by her uncle in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, had been purchased and restored. In her youth, her family would vacation at Lincoln Hills and delighted in the privilege of experiencing nature firsthand. Linda revisited Colorado many times, and her preservation of photos and stories from her childhood were featured in a PBS documentary on the historical site that provided African Americans a place to vacation during the times of segregation and intense racism.
Through her final days, Linda was very thankful for the friends and colleagues she made during her career. She was extremely found of her relationship with St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church and spoke highly of the care they gave her parents Sharon and Warren Tucker. Linda was grateful to the Bahá'í community for their warmth and love. Finally, Linda was grateful to the world and mankind and always believed in giving back to society. Linda’s final request to donate her remains to scientific research indicate the type of person she was. She always gave herself to the very end.