Linda Blair Forth

Born and raised in the Logan Heights neighborhood of San Diego, Linda was one of seven children raised by a widowed mother who had emigrated from Mexico in search of a better life. From an early age, Linda understood hardship—what it meant to grow up with limited resources, few opportunities, and the weight of responsibility on young shoulders. Those early experiences fueled a lifetime commitment to justice, equity, and lifting others up.

In 1968, Linda graduated from high school and joined the inaugural class of Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) students at San Diego State University. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Mexican-American Studies in 1974 and went on to receive her Master’s degree in the same field from San Jose State University in 1977.

Linda dedicated her professional life to empowering underserved communities through education and workforce development. She began her career as a Support Counselor at the Center for Employment Training (CET) in San Jose, eventually returning to San Diego to launch a new CET branch focused on farmworker training and job placement. In 1985, fueled by her entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering moral compass, she founded Comprehensive Training Systems (CTS)—a nonprofit vocational training organization dedicated to serving those who had been historically left behind.

For 37 years, Linda led CTS with vision and tenacity, developing career training programs, securing funding, and advocating for low-income individuals, ex-offenders, limited English speakers, welfare recipients, and others facing barriers to employment. Over 10,000 people were trained and placed into meaningful work under her leadership. Her impact on the region—and the lives of those she served—cannot be overstated.

Linda was a Certified Workforce Development Professional and a long-standing member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP). She was known for her sharp intellect, fearless advocacy, and her refusal to remain silent in the face of injustice.

While Linda’s professional accomplishments were considerable, she was most proud of her family. She was the heart and soul of her extended family—the matriarch who offered wisdom, guidance, laughter, and love. She remained deeply connected to her siblings, nieces, nephews, and cousins, often serving as the one everyone turned to in times of joy or need.

Her greatest joy came later in life, when she became a grandmother. At age 70. When she welcomed her grandson Frankie and soon after, her granddaughter Sabrina. Nothing lit up Linda’s face more than time spent with her grandchildren. She adored them completely, doting on them with boundless affection. Her legacy of strength, pride in culture, and deep love will live on through them.

Linda was also known for her appreciation of life’s finer pleasures. She loved to travel, explore new cuisines, and attend live theatre. These experiences weren’t just pastimes—they were ways she celebrated life, culture, and connection.

Linda was preceded in death by her beloved sisters Helen, Betty, and Cecilia, and her brothers John and Ivan. She is survived by her brother Bob, her devoted husband Frank Sr., and her beloved son Frank Jr., with whom she shared an unbreakable bond. Her grandchildren Frankie and Sabrina were the lights of her life and will carry her spirit forward in all they do.

Linda Blair Forth will be laid to rest at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego—a city she loved, served, and called home throughout her extraordinary life. She leaves behind a legacy of compassion, courage, and service that will never be forgotten.