Bernard Van der Linden

Bernard Van der Linden was born in Amsterdam and moved to Brooklyn at the age of 7 with his parents, Seymour and Florence Koe Van der Linden (both deceased), and his siblings, Evelyn Van der Linden Rosenbaum (deceased) and Jo Van der Linden. He grew up in Brooklyn, working from the age of 12 shoveling snow, delivering newspapers on his paper route, and as a delivery boy for the Syrian grocery store in the neighborhood. He graduated from Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn and was invited to try out as a pitcher for the (then) New York Giants at the Polo Grounds before enlisting in the Army and serving in the Korean War. After completing his service he returned to Brooklyn and worked in advertising while completing his bachelor’s degree in business on the GI bill at New York University. He met the love of his life, Elaine Lubel Van der Linden (deceased) on vacation in Miami Beach and had a “fabulous, wonderful, extraordinary” marriage of 61 years during which together they raised three daughters and welcomed four grandchildren. He worked as a stockbroker for 57 years, many of those years at Howard, Weil, Labouisse Friedrichs before retiring at the age of 84. He never fully retired from investing, as it remained a passion and an avocation until the day he died. He taught investment seminars around the world, including a class at sea aboard the QE II on a transatlantic crossing from New York to England. He was proud to have been invited to attend many important investment conferences across the country and continued to follow all the latest bond and stock market news and trends. He served on many civic boards throughout his life, most recently the Audubon Nature Institute. He was an original Saints Season ticket holder who for more than 50 years enjoyed all the home games with his daughters and grandchildren, through lean times as well as the Super Bowl winning Saints era. He was an avid tennis player for many years at City Park and the New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club. In recent years, he enjoyed playing competitive bridge at the Louisiana Bridge Center and asked us to thank his bridge partners and many friends there. He was especially grateful for the excellent care and attention he received from Dr. Frank Wilklow. He is predeceased by his wife, Elaine Lubel Van der Linden, his daughter, Debra Van der Linden Sidelnik, his grandson, Ryan David Reaves, and his sister, Evelyn Van der Linden Rosenbaum. He is survived by his daughters, Susan Reaves and Lisa Amann (Cary), his grandchildren, Sara Reaves Hernandez (Zach), Deborah Amann and Blake Amann, his brother, Jo Van der Linden (Barbara), his great grandson, William Ryan Hernandez and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Deborah Van der Linden Sidelnik Fund for Youth at Touro Synagogue, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, or the charity of your choice. A memorial service will be held Sunday, October 4, 2:30pm at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. New Orleans, LA.