Linda Hall 3/17/1940 - 2/2/2016

Linda died peacefully in Sun City, Arizona. Linda K. Hall was born on March 17, 1940 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Martin and Kathryn Hall. They moved 5 months later to New York City and lived there five years during WWII. At the end of the war the family moved to Gilford, NH when Linda was 5, her brother Martin (Butch) (8) and sister Lee (11). Gilford gave Linda and her friends opportunities for skiing, hiking, biking and all of the things that the village offered: The Gilford Outing Club, Square Dancing with Kay and Jane, excellent schools and ski lessons. Linda became a member of the USEASA ski association and competed throughout her high school years. Linda graduated from Laconia High School in 1958. After high school, Linda went to the University of New Hampshire, where she was a varsity skier and field hockey player. She majored in physical education and general science, graduating cum laude in 1962. For the next 2 years Linda taught high school in upper New York, and was asked to return to the university to take over the ski coaching job for a year. After that year, Linda decided to stretch her horizons by going to Chelsea College in England to study elementary physical education. She ended her education in England with a 4 month U-rail pass to tour the rest of free Europe. Linda came home to a job at Smith College running their ski program. While at Smith, Linda earned a Master's Degree in Exercise Science. After graduation with her Master's, Linda left Smith College to go to the Ohio State University to study for a PHD in Exercise Physiology. While at OSU, the athletic department talked her into coaching the women's swim team which she did successfully going to the nationals each of the five years she was there. Graduating from OSU with a PHD in 1977, Linda went on to teach at the University of Maine-Presque Isle. In 1980 Linda went to the University of Wisconsin La Crosse- in a fellowship program in Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab, which subsequently led to her being hired to teach in the graduate program. In the next five years, she edited 4 books, chaired 24 Masters Theses and ran the cardiac rehab program. In 1985 Linda went to Christ Hospital in Cincinnati as an outpatient rehab administrator. It was in that same year she became a member of the American Association of Cardiac and Pulmonary Rehab, subsequently being appointed senior editor of the group to write the first and then the second set of national guidelines for Cardiac Rehab which were published in1989 an 1994. Linda was elected president of the AACVPR and served in 1989-1990 as the fifth national president. From 1990 to 2005 Linda worked as an outpatient administrator at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, John McConnell Heart Health Center in Columbus and finally, Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. She was known for being an innovative leader in the field of rehab and was recognized as such by receiving The National Award of Excellence from the AACVPR in 2002. From 1999 to 2002 Linda was a consultant and speaker for the Quinton Instrument Company. This gave her the wonderful experience of traveling to Australia, New Zealand, Korea, South America and Cuba and 38 states of the United States on speaking tours. What Linda was most thankful for were the many wonderful friendships she developed during her career. These friends were most supportive over the last year during her illness and brought much happiness and laughter. Linda is survived by her brother Martin and his wife Kathy, her companion Linda Walker, nieces Andrea Elder and Susan Richey and nephew Douglas Elder and their children. There will be no local service. Donations in her honor may be made to Saint Mary's Food Bank, or Hospice of the Valley.