Dr. Linda Varner Jefferson

On July 1, 2013, Dr. Linda Varner Jefferson passed away after a five year battle with ovarian cancer. She is the beloved wife of Claude W. Jefferson, Jr., Mother of Brian (wife – Jessica), Scott (wife – Brandy), Angela and Steven Jefferson (wife - Carla); Step-Mother of Tony Jefferson (wife – Donna), Teresa Tyrell, Claude B. Jefferson (wife – Margie), Kevin Jefferson (wife – Terri), and Michael Jefferson. She is the beloved grandmother of Katrice, Katriel, Kala, Katana, Kendra, Kimberly, AJ, Jacquez, Alexis, Hassan, Avian, Jared, Michaela, Maxwell, Tru, Sierra, Julianna, Samantha, Bradley and Justice Jefferson; Katrina West (husband – Jeffrey); Jessica and Joseph Owens; and Great-Grandmother of Davion and Siya Owens. She is also the beloved sister of Donald Varner (Wife- RoseMarie), David Varner (wife – Kathy) and Susan Holmes (husband – Ken). She is the close sister in law of Claudette Jefferson and Jean Thompson (husband – Roger). She is also the Aunt of Sean Jefferson (wife – Megan), Jason Varner (wife – Cheryl), Chad Varner (wife – Amy), Tracy Gallant (husband – Todd), Laurie Cecere (husband – Mike), Justin Holmes (wife – Amanda), and Tom, Mike and Larry McGory and Great-Aunt of Ashlynne & Alex Gallant; Jack Cecere; Lauryn & Keira Jefferson; Justin, Megan, Brennan, Colin & Cam McGory; and Ashleigh and Emily Varner. She is survived by numerous friends and colleagues.

Dr. Jefferson held many challenging positions as an Army Nurse, ending her military career as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Army Surgeon General’s Office. She went on to earn her Doctorate and serve in various key nursing positions, to include five years as the Director of Nursing at Spring Grove Hospital Center in Catonsville and retiring from her last position as Director of Nursing Excellence at the V.A. Hospital in Baltimore in 2010.

A joyous celebration of Linda’s life will be held on Monday July 8th at the Unitarian-Universalist Congregation facility in the Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, Maryland at 11 AM. Each guest is asked to bring a single flower to the visitation or church. These will be arranged in grand vases, as was done in 2008 during Linda and Claude’s event to celebrate their initial recoveries from serious illness. Family, friends, and colleagues are invited to visit together and share memories of Linda’s life at a reception after the ceremony.

In lieu of formal flower arrangements, the family requests that memorials in her name be made to HopeWell Cancer Support, P.O. Box 755, Brooklandville, MD 21022; Gilchrist Hospice, Suite 350, 11311 McCormick Rd., Hunt Valley, MD 21031; or Foundation for Women’s Cancer, 230 W. Monroe, Suite 2528, Chicago, Illinois 60606.