Linda Mae Walston

Linda’s life path began April 09, 1949 in Joplin, Missouri. Her childhood was spent in McAlester, Oklahoma where she was the youngest of Willa Mae and Charles Anderson’s four children. Linda’s siblings were Gaylan, Sheila Jean and Cheryl Ann.

Linda pursued a degree in Physical Education from Oklahoma State University. However she left school to move to California with her mother to help her sister, Cheryl Ann after her seven year marriage had ended. Linda, her mother, her sister and her nephew, Jay and niece, Dawn lived in Hermosa Beach, California. They purchased a home and together they raised Jay and Dawn.

Linda met her husband and life partner, Gary Walston in the late 80’s and they married in February 29, 1996 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Although they lived many years in Hermosa Beach, California, they both discovered a community of friends and opportunities in Redington Beach, Florida in the early 2000’s.

Linda worked many years in the Restaurant industry before returning to school to complete her Bachelorette degree in Physical Educations in the 80’s and returned again in the late 90’s to obtain her Master of Arts degree (M.A.) in Audiology at California State University, Long Beach. As an Audiologist, Linda owned her own business, Gulf Coast Audiology for many years before leaving that to serve our nation’s veterans as an audiologist at Bay Pines VA HealthCare Systems in St Petersburg.

Linda’s friends and community of Redington Beach were very important to her. She served as Vice President of the Redington Beach Property Owners Assoc. and the Redington Beach Scholarship Fund, Inc., She was chair-person of the Scholarship committee, a scholarship fund that has grown to $19,500 in 2017, of which she was the most proud. Linda took a keen interest in various fundraisers and activities in Redington Beach, including Santa’s Angels, a not for profit organization helping needy children and families at Christmas time. If a volunteer was needed, Linda was there.

Linda faced life with grace, courage and a tenacity like no other. To her many friends of Redington Beach she was Linda…to her nieces and nephews and her entire family she will always be Aunt Linda.

Linda is preceded by her husband, Gary Walston, her parents Willa Mae and Charles Clay Anderson, her brother Gaylan Anderson and her sister, Cheryl Ann Williams. She survived by her sister Sheila Hammons of Louisburg, Kansas; ten nieces and nephews – Debra, Jay, Charles, Donna, Dawn, Darryl, David, Keri Dawn, Robert & Jennifer Dawn; numerous grand-nieces and nephews; a stepdaughter, Dawn and stepson, Scott; and a network of loving, supportive friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Anona United Church in Largo, Florida at 2:00 pm. Followed by an entombment at the Serenity Gardens Memorial Park located at13401 Indian Rocks Rd, Largo, Florida. In lieu of flowers, the family ask that you donate to the American Cancer Society or to the not for profit organization, Santa’s Angel’s.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted by the Serenity Funeral Home. Condolences may be offered at www.serenityfuneralhomelargo.com.