Eight Bells: Linda Merkle

Linda Milam Merkle of Decatur (GA) passed away March 4, 2024, at a residential hospice facility, where she had been a patient for the past several days. Linda was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, the daughter of the late John Max Milam and Lola Bess Goolsbay Milam. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

From 1964-1989 Linda taught at Lakeside High School in DeKalb County, where she was the English Department Chair and sponsor of the yearbook. In 1989 she went to McNair High School serving as Assistant Principal for Instruction. She was beloved by students and fellow teachers. Her love of books was manifested through her never-ending acquisitions and membership in the prestigious McNair Book Group and various local book clubs.

Linda was active in the Lake Lanier Sailing Club in Flowery Branch, GA. She served as the first female Commodore in 1993, and was the Competition Manager for the 1996 Paralympic Yachting Competition. She went on to help organize and run paralympic sailing events at the Olympic games from 2000 through 2012, traveling to Sydney, Beijing, Athens, and London, making friends throughout the international paralympic sailing community.

Surviving Linda are her many friends from teaching and sailing; her communities at Westfield Square, Holbrook Senior Living, and Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church; as well as cousins in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. The family wishes to thank the staff at Holbrook in Decatur for their care of Linda. Special gratitude goes to Karen Ahrens, her sailing sister faithful to the end.

Memorial services will be in the chapel at Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, 1660 N. Decatur Road, Atlanta, Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 2:30 PM. Contributions in Linda’s memory can be made to Glenn Memorial or the charity of your choice, especially those that support families in need and the disabled.

Source: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/atlanta/name/linda-merkle-obituary?id=54928197