Michael Worth Linn

Michael Worth Linn was a man of steel with an unbreakable will to live — a soldier who served with pride, a father who never stopped nurturing, a survivor who refused to give up no matter what his body demanded of him.

Born in Gainesville, Florida to James Worth Linn and Sara Brown Linn, Michael was the middle of three brothers — Peter, Michael, and Steve. His childhood was one of constant motion and discovery. As the son of a career Army officer, he traveled the country and beyond, spending formative years in Greece before finishing high school in Annandale, Virginia, where his father was stationed at the Pentagon. An Eagle Scout with a hunger for challenge and service, Michael went on to Kansas State University, graduating through the ROTC program as a 2nd Lieutenant. He pushed himself further — Airborne School, Ranger School - preparing for what would become back-to-back tours in Germany and Vietnam.

Michael served his country with pride and distinction for nearly nineteen years, rising to Lieutenant Colonel before Rheumatoid Arthritis forced his medical retirement from active duty. But leaving the Army didn't mean leaving his sense of purpose. He channeled his strategic mind and love of finance into a second career with USAA Financial Services, earning the rigorous designation of Certified Financial Planner and helping others build secure futures.

Michael's greatest legacy, though, wasn't built in uniform or financial plans — it was built in love, in friends and in family. While stationed at Fort Benning's Army Advanced Course as a young Captain, he met Barbara Less, the woman who would become his partner for fifty-two years and the foundation that made everything else possible. Together, they raised four children and created a home that expanded to embrace others who needed them most. When Michael's brother Steve died, leaving his two children without parents, Michael and Barbara didn't hesitate. They opened their door, their hearts, and their lives, raising Andrew and Deena as their own.

Michael had an eye for beauty that seemed at odds with his Ranger toughness but was essential to who he was. He loved architecture and Japan, fine cars and elegant design. Years living around the world — Greece, Germany, Vietnam — had opened his eyes to different ways of seeing and being.

Though he came from a traditional background and held traditional values, Michael never demanded others follow the same path. He let his children — all of them — live their own lives. He celebrated their differences, took the time to learn about what they were doing so he could talk to them about it, and made them feel seen and proud of who they were becoming.

Perhaps what struck people most about Michael was the fierce determination with which he chose to live. Even as his body failed him — through endless surgeries, endless prosthetics, endless pain — he kept going. If someone could help him get there, he wanted to be there. He loved food — sushi, Mexican, Barbara’s cooking, watching Everett and Vivian play sports, touring Frank Lloyd Wright houses, car shows, traveling with Barbara and friends all around the world. He didn't complain. He remained proud. He found joy in the simple act of being present, of being in the room, of showing up for the people he loved. That stubborn, beautiful insistence on staying in the fight, on refusing to miss a moment, defined him.

Michael is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-two years, Barbara Less Linn; his brother Peter Linn and his wife Susan; his children Sydney L. Fields and her husband Nate, Allison Linn, Andrew Linn and his wife Hannah, and Deena Linn and her husband Adam; and his grandchildren Everett and Vivian Fields, Murray and Goldie Linn, and Lennon and Jonah Kessler — all of whom are living proof that love, when given without condition, outlasts even the strongest steel.

A graveside service will be held Friday, February 13, 2026 at 1:00pm at Arlington Memorial Park, 201 Mt. Vernon Hwy., Sandy Springs, GA 30328.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Michael’s honor to the Arthritis Foundation at www.arthritis.org.