WonderWoman is what i have called my mom ever since i was a small child, as my little young eyes watched her singlehandedly perform miraculous acts of endurance and strength.
Most of you know her as Linda Cummings (or maybe Linda-la, Linda-lu, BFF, or dear friend…)
She took her last breath on December 16, 2022.
It wasn’t an easy ride, but (almost unbelievably) she was cracking jokes into her very last days.
In true form, she headed out from here very much on her own terms – hearing the sounds of voices of those she loved dearly, in the comfort and privacy of home, and in the singular moment when nobody was watching.
She never once took off her superhero cape.

Linda was born on July 21, 1956 to Betty and Abraham Isaac Fogel, who loved her very much and made sure she knew it. The majority of Linda’s career consisted of working a variety of roles in a few different banks – but her true career focus was people. She was skilled in all of the banking tasks, and strived to do thorough, accurate work, but it’s as though the subject matter could have been almost anything. What was important to her at the end of each day was whether she had helped people, listened intently, made them to feel taken care of.

To know Linda was to know one of the bravest, strongest, and most courageous people here. My mom challenged family and friends to be authentic, to laugh heartily at dry humor and simple humor, and to be super generous with hugs. To say she was strong is an understatement; she was also gentle, emotionally sensitive, intuitive and very sincere. Linda was impressively considerate and kind, but she also certainly did not suffer any fools. She was generally a quiet and private person, and it was a treat to be brought into her inner world. As a tenacious and loyal person, who valued the skill of listening, she showed us how good friendship can be. The unobtrusive realization might sneak up on you years later that this person in your life was someone you could just always depend on without fail, a person who respected and admired you, and who loved you for exactly who you are – nothing more, nothing less. When she loved you, she loved you completely. She had a quiet and profound effect on the lives of anyone who really knew her.

Linda was in her element when she was shopping! This was firstly fueled by her incredible love language of gift-giving. i mean, dang did she love the hunt of finding a good deal, with discounts on top of discounts, but what she really thrived on was finding the right gift for the right person, and she loved the sense that she had successfully made someone feel known and considered. She was the type of person who gave gifts to my friends the very first time they visited, left gifts for her doctors, the mailman, her coworkers, and people she had never even met.

Linda loved listening to Motown music and big bands, watching old musicals and Hallmark movies, drinking hot cocoa, and spending time with animals – especially dogs. And she loved children. i think she valued the genuineness found in time spent with dogs and children – the lack of social masks, the rawness of more pure connection with other beings. They sensed it, too! When she was nearby, whether it was dogs or cats or her godchildren or any other kiddos – they quickly and easily knew she was a person to trust.

My mom was fiercely dedicated to raising me up. It mattered little what various interests i took, she found a way to be constantly supportive of every single one of them. She gave everything she humanly could, and then some. Filling so very many roles in my life – she filled the spot of two parents as one full-time working woman, bent herself in ways i can barely comprehend, and was one of my closest, bestest friends. She was genuinely proud of me even when i didn’t fully know why. She danced a delicate balance of being my absolute biggest fan, while helping me to stay grounded and to value humility. She taught me the deep and enormous importance of creating family from friendships, and geez, she was truly brilliant at that! In a matter of minutes, she made people feel fully welcomed in as part of her family. It wasn’t only for them, though – it was reciprocal and made her feel honored when people would allow for that closeness.
i wouldn’t be half the person i am without my mom’s nurture and guidance and undying, unquestionable love. Her unconditional love is perhaps what i will unbearably miss the absolute most.
but it is also, of course, what will keep me going.

Linda was preceded in death by her dear father – Abraham Isaac Fogel, her dear brother – Keith Fogel, and many beloved pups – Tawa, Max, Luney, JoeSchmoe (aka Joey), Nuva, Honue, Moose, Catori, and Nizhoni.

We all need a Linda in our corner, and the hole where she once was will be entirely impossible to fill. i hope we can carry her forward and find ways to give thoughtful gifts, tell dry jokes, hug big, listen carefully, be real, and Love each other truly.



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All the Love…)