Linda Bea Carmichael

Mrs. Linda Bea Carmichael (née Schafer) died unexpectedly from complications triggered by a rare form of Leukemia at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center on September 1, 2015, just one month before her 70th birthday.

Linda is survived by her husband of 31 years, Joe Reso, Jr. of San Jose, CA; son, Terry Carmichael of Wyckoff, NJ; daughter-in-law, Christina Carmichael; granddaughters, Cassandra, Nicoletta, and Adriana Carmichael; sister, Brenda Rose of San Jose; and former spouse, Terrence K. Carmichael of Grosse Pointe, MI. She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Edith Schafer (née Sims).

Linda was born in San Jose to Robert and Edith on October 1, 1945. She attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, and graduated from San Jose State University in the early 1970s with a MA degree in English Literature. She married Joe in 1984, after he had the courage to ask her to dance at San Jose’s Saddle Rack Country Hoe Down just two years prior. After an 8-year adventure living on Lake Austin, in Austin, TX, Joe and Linda came back to the beautiful Silicon Valley city of San Jose, where Linda began managing the Internal Communications Department for LifeScan, a Johnson & Johnson company. She proudly retired at age 51, and continued to live doing what she loved in Willow Glen.

Linda was the mother of one child, whom she taught to have respect for all others, recognize the value of education, and have a devotion to family. Her son, Terry, describes her as a kind, patient, goal-oriented, and driven intellectual who encouraged him to establish objectives, rationalize passions, and to never let perfect get in the way of being simply better.

Linda had a love affair with English Literature and regularly attended the Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon with Joe. She was a generous, witty, and an inquisitive individual who treasured the arts, loved Broadway shows, relished worldly traveling, appreciated genuine conversation, and enjoyed a good glass of Northern California Chardonnay. She delighted in encouraging her beloved granddaughters to pursue their talents and joys. She enjoyed Facebook, where she was regularly sharing her views and exchanging comments with her friends and relatives. Joe and Linda traveled extensively during their 18 years of retirement, circling the world several times: together they visited every continent on the planet, excluding Antarctica.

The family would like to share their appreciation for Linda’s love, desire, and commitment to making everything work out for the better. She will never be forgotten and will be forever be missed. A funeral is scheduled for 11am Sunday, September 6, 2015 at the Willow Glen Funeral Home located in San Jose, California, with a reception to follow. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Linda's life. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (www.lls.org).

Condolences can be publically posted to the Willow Glen Funeral Home Website and/or to Linda’s Facebook page.