Linda Marie Nelson

Linda Marie Nelson passed away on April 28th 2025, at the age of 63, after a year long battle with cancer. Linda was an amazing lady - step mom to Tyler, Max and Emma; Mother in Law to Angelica, Jenna and Steven. She was Grandma to Parker, Presley, and Barrett and she took to that role with everything she had! But even more amazing of a wife and partner to Craig.

Linda was born in New Hampshire to Salvatore and Jeannine Puglisi and was brother to John. She loved her family and was so proud to call them her parents and John her brother.

She was Sister in Law to Laurie Meritt (Sister to Craig) and Millicent Pugilist (wife of John).

Linda was the proud aunt to Dominic and Kendall Puglisi.

She was the best Daughter in Law in the world to Roger and Nancy Nelson - regularly sitting in the stands together to watch softball games, sharing Tuesday night dinners, and bragging about grandkids and great grandkids.

Linda and family moved to Calabasas California and she was in the first graduating class of Calabasas High School - she was an original Valley Girl! She lived most of her life on the west coast, including Santa Cruz, LaQuinta and then the Bay Area with Craig starting in 2001. From California, Craig and Linda moved to Michigan for Craig’s work. They loved Michigan and explored every inch of the beautiful state but after 4 winters, Linda decided it was enough of the cold and in the fall of 2020 convinced Craig it was time to return to the West Coast.

Craig and Linda decided to be snowbirds and took up residence in Redmond Oregon for the summers and Surprise AZ in the Winter. Craig retired in January 2022 and they throughly enjoyed both spots. In Surprise, Craig discovered softball and Linda loved it - she would be at the field most Tuesdays and Thursdays taking in the game, the sun, but most importantly the friendships. From there, Softball led to Pickleball! Boy, was she passionate about the game - many times playing 2-3 times a day, 4-7 days a week….she loved it, playing in a tournament for her first competitive sporting event. She loved to hike the White Tank mountains, go shopping with girlfriends, who she truly loved, and sharing meals together. She said many times “I have never had girlfriends before and this is great”. Those same ladies provided amazing support during the past year.

The Redmond experience was similar! Craig found softball and they both played pickleball at Sam Johnson Park in Redmond. Linda used to play all morning and outlasted most of the folks there! She loved the crowd that played at SJ Park!! She was known for always being at the courts.

Linda said to me a couple different times and to others as well, the last four years in Surprise were the happiest of her life. It is amazing to me the love and support that Linda attracted. People loved her - awesome smile, beautiful inside and out, and an attitude that we would all love to own. She was a fighter as well, much the same as her dad Sal, and she fought hard these past 10 months.

The biggest thing about Linda was her heart. She had a huge heart and an amazing smile that were always on display. She was loved by everyone and even those that only met her once walked away liking her. The last few months, she was not always able to to get the field for games and Craig was constantly asked “Is Linda coming today?” If the answer was yes, it seems like players were on the phone to their spouses saying she was coming. The stands always seemed a little fuller when Linda was in the house…..and she was the center of the love and attention.

She is no longer here and among us physically but the Linda stories, the spirit, the love will live on…..enjoy every day.