Linda Sue Rudman was born on April 13, 1968, in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Ladue High School and received a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Wisconsin, Madison, but her true passion was… always… music.
Neska moved to San Francisco in 1963 and, shortly thereafter, met violinist David Laflamme. In 1967, they founded the band It’s a Beautiful Day, and co-wrote many of the songs on their self titled debut album including White Bird, Hot Summer Day, and Girl with no Eyes. In 1968, they became parents but divorced shortly after their album was released. Neska left the band in 1969.
In the 1970’s, Neska founded the St. Louis band Titus’ Mother and the Bay Area band A Thought in Passing. She was also a prolific composer for Bay Area theaters including the California (Berkeley) Shakespeare Festival, A Traveling Jewish Theater, CASA St. Louis, and the American Conservatory Theater. Neska also had many day-jobs including medico-legal transcriptionist, truck stop line cook, waitress, and piano teacher. She loved working with her students both in California and Virginia. They kept her young and constantly amazed.
As a volunteer, Neska worked with Meals on Wheels, California School for the Deaf and Blind, the Oasis at Beth Jacob Congregation, and managed the Chevra Kadisha of the East Bay coordinating tahara services for the recently deceased for almost 30 years.
Neska is survived by her daughter, Kira Hannah, her granddaughters, Anya Leah and Erin Alana, sister Barbara, brother-in-law Daniel, sister-in-law Dale, nephews Alexander, Andrew, and Gabriel, cousins, Jaque and Sheryl, and step-daughter Alisha. She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Annette, and brother Michael.
Neska was a complicated woman. As giving as she was difficult, she managed to single-parent in the 1970’s, survive childhood abuse, live with often debilitating mental illness, and pursue a life filled with meaning. She was an amazing playmate and caregiver, social justice advocate, poet, and trail blazing psychedelic rock musician.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the National Association on Mental Illness or your area local food bank.
