Linda Klabunde, age 78, passed away in the Ridgecrest Regional Hospital on December 4, 2023, due to complications with cancer.
Linda was born December 18, 1944, in Des Moines, Iowa. She grew up in Des Moines and graduated from Roosevelt High. She married her husband, Richard, in 1966. She attended Iowa State University and graduated with a B.S. Degree in child development.
She and her husband moved to Ridgecrest in 1970. Linda taught school for 32 years, beginning with the Indian Wells Valley School District at Inyokern School. She earned her master’s degree at Oklahoma State University and taught the first learning disability class in the valley. She got a lot of satisfaction out of teaching children who thought they couldn’t learn to read. The most exciting thing was seeing their eyes light up when they finally caught on. She was instrumental in establishing learning disability classes at other schools. Her last 12 years of teaching were spent at Gateway School.
During her career as a teacher, she was very active in the Desert Area Teachers Association (D.A.T.A.). She was president of that organization from 1983-1985.
Serving others and her community was a passion Linda held close to her heart. For forty years, Linda was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, an honorary teachers’ society. Several times, she served as president of this group of women educators and held the group together during COVID-19. After retirement, she was active in the Kiwanis Club of Ridgecrest and China Lake’s WACOM (Women’s’ Auxiliary of the Commissioned Officers’ Mess). For ten years, Linda also dedicated many hours to helping put on the Ridgecrest Cystic Fibrosis Great Strides Walks in support of finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.
Linda and her husband traveled extensively after retirement, visiting six continents and over 100 countries. When asked about her favorite country, Linda always answered that it was the country of her present trip.
She is survived by Richard, her husband of 57 years, and an extended family in Oregon, Arizona, and Iowa.
No services are planned at this time. Donations to honor Linda may be made in Linda`s name to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, P.O. Box 97372, Washington, DC 20090-7372.