Linda Jo (Berg) Milne

Born December 21, 1952 in Omaha NB, Linda spent the first three years of her life in England where she once got away from her parents at Buckingham Palace and ran into one of those little Guardhouses to hide.  Linda was an Air Force Brat who moved around a lot while growing up, with time in Columbus OH (Wright-Patterson AFB), Tucson AZ (Davis-Monthan AFB), and Bossier City, LA (Barksdale AFB).  Graced with a beautiful voice, she sang in both the Bossier High School and church choirs (which she loved).  And, with that voice of hers, some of those closest to Linda thought she should become a protest singer - it being back in the 1960’s and all.  She met Tom ( her future husband of 52 years ) there in Louisiana -- across the river from B.C. in Shreveport at a McDonald's Restaurant parking lot (really).  Shortly thereafter, Linda graduated from high school in 1970 (Go Bearkats !!).  Tom and Linda were married December 3, 1971 at Barksdale AFB where her father and now husband were both stationed.  Playing back their tape-recorded vows you can clearly hear Tom saying his part but when it came to Linda’s ‘love, honor, and obey’ part, a B-52 jet took off down the runway which drowned out all other sounds so there’s no real proof that she actually said the ‘obey’ word.  About five months later, Tom was honorably discharged and they moved to Oregon City where Tom grew up.  Except for “a brief” seven years in Corvallis (where Linda worked for a time at the OSU Bookstore) they’ve lived in O.C. all their married life where she was a life-long homemaker and citizen, occupant, patriot, resident, taxpayer, etc.  

A few of the activities Linda participated in and a few of her favorite things that she liked:  In her growing up years Linda was in Girl Scouts.  In high school she played Katisha in The Mikado (Your Revels Cease !  Assist Me, All Of You !).  One of the songs Linda and Tom really liked listening to together was ‘Color My World’ by Chicago.  In the 1990’s Linda got into Irish Folk Dancing (both Ceili and Set) and for several years performed a few of these dances with Tom and others in front of an audience at the NW Folklife Festival (on Memorial Day weekend at the base of the Space Needle in Seattle WA).  She enjoyed flower arranging, arts and crafts, reading and writing poetry, reading such books as James Harriot’s All Creatures Great and Small, the Bible, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings (even better than the movie).  And Bunnykins, a delightful children’s book she brought back from England.  And (go ahead, google it) Diane Siebert’s Train Song, a wonderful poetic children’s book that Diane, who was Linda’s cousin-in-law, gave her.  (Sadly, Diane died from cancer in 2014 at 65 years old).  Linda loved roses (particularly Betty Boop’s), and she especially loved well-behaved children (and even those ‘not so much’) as well as dashhounds doxunds wiener dogs (Linda’s was Fritzi), cats (T&L’s were Kay-Kay, Adam, Trusty, Sissy, Arthur, & Pumpkin), and ‘tweeters’ (little birds - like sparrows, etc.).  And she loved many other kinds of animals - even spiders.

One of the things Linda thought most funny was:  Keeping my husband Tom (the surveyor) from getting lost.

During her lifetime Linda was engaged in various Christian service capacities including many years as Prayer Secretary for World Venture missionaries Jon and Dot Andrews (now ‘retired’ in Oregon City).  In 1992 she volunteered to help with the Billy Graham crusade in Portland, OR (and the following week she was even quoted in the Catholic Sentinel about the crusade).  She was also what in some circles could be termed as a real Prayer Warrior.

Although blessed with the gift of gab, Linda suffered for over 20 of her later years with clinical depression and anxiety issues which considerably reduced her ability to participate in ordinary life, however, she was quite open to talking about these mental health topics with anyone who wanted to engage in a conversation with her about that.

Just after Labor Day, 2023, Linda became really ill which was diagnosed as covid.  Four months later the diagnosis was expanded to include several mini-strokes and dementia that in the end ended her life four months later at 71.  She died peacefully in her sleep on May 21, 2024 and, having accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, went to heaven and is now ‘Walking with Jesus’ as it says on her headstone.  Preceding her in death are her parents Lt. Col Victor L. Berg (Ret.) and Reva Mae Berg.  Linda is survived by her husband Tom who greatly mourns her passing but knows she is now in a much better place.  She is also survived by her sister-in-law Marla Eller (Dennis) of Lenoir NC and nieces Monica Hollar and Meredith Eller and their kids (that she prayed for regularly).

Linda was laid to rest May 28, 2024 at Willamette National Cemetery (where her parents are also buried) in a private burial.  No memorial service was held.  Perhaps by now her previously unfulfilled dream of becoming Chief Assistant to St. Francis of Assisi has been realized.

For those wanting to do so, it is suggested that contributions / remembrances with respect to Linda be made to their favorite health-related charity (mental health or otherwise) or donate to D. James Kennedy Ministries in Fort Lauderdale FL which recipient Linda regularly contributed to.