Linda Schreiber

It is easy to see when reflecting on the life of Linda Schreiber that she had an insatiable love for life. She also had a deep love for both her family and her friends, and she could carry on a conversation about nearly any subject. Linda worked hard at her job and always put forth her best effort no matter what her job entailed. Although health challenges plagued her for many years, Linda continued to embrace each day she was given, always adapting her lifestyle in whatever way was needed. She was a woman who knew what she wanted and never shied away from making her wishes known. Though Linda’s life ended much too soon, she greatly impacted the hearts and lives of many within her reach.

During a time in which America only had 48 states, two-year term limits were just being signed into law, and the Korean Conflict still raged on overseas, the year 1951 was a year to remember. Rock ‘roll emerged onto the music scene, and Americans were burning up the dance floor with popular songs such as “The Hoochi Coochi Coo” and “The Twist.”

This was a year of great significance in the family of Rowland and Helen (Matteson) Schreiber as they were celebrating the birth of their daughter, Linda, on August 19th. Linda was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan as the middle of three children in her family and the only girl. She was raised in the family home on Riverside Street on the northeast side of the city. Linda attended Riverside Elementary and Creston High School from which she later graduated. During her teenage years her parents purchased a cabin cruiser so she spent many summer days cruising the waters on Lake Macatawa in Holland. Linda and her younger brother also frequently traveled with their aunt and uncle to Florida when she was a young girl. She enjoyed riding horses and even competed in horse shows from time to time. Linda was about 20 years old when she was diagnosed with Addison’s disease which she would struggle with throughout the rest of her life. It is a disease in which the adrenal glands produce insufficient steroid hormones leaving the afflicted individual experiencing fatigue, dizziness, muscle weakness, weight loss, difficulty in standing up and many more symptoms as well.

Throughout her life, Linda had a strong work ethic which surfaced from her very first job. One of her earliest jobs was working at Kentucky Fried Chicken, and she later worked for the telephone company for a few years. When Linda found work at Butterworth Hospital as a nurse’s aid a short time later, her career in the healthcare industry had begun. The schedule was difficult because the hours were inconsistent so she looked for a position with more regular hours. Linda ended up taking a few classes and became a surgical technician – a position she truly enjoyed and enjoyed for nearly 25 years. Her experience, skills and personality were always welcome in the surgical room. This job did provide her with more regular hours, at least until she began to take on-call hours too.

As much as she enjoyed her work, there was much more to life than just work as far as Linda was concerned since she loved having fun too. She had a close group of friends who she enjoyed spending time with, often going to parties or out for meals together. Even as her friends moved away she continued to keep in touch and also visited them at times. Linda enjoyed weekend trips to Saugatuck with her friends each summer, and she also liked visiting her brother who lived in Grand Haven. Throughout the years Linda took several memorable trips with her friends including trips to Las Vegas, Florida, and Lake Tahoe. She was always up for going out with friends and it didn’t really matter what they were doing either. Linda additionally enjoyed taking trips with her family including one trip in particular that she took with her brother. They traveled in a motor home and had a great time, providing them with laughs for years to come. Traditions with her family and friends were also important to Linda such as the trips to the annual tree decorating.

There were so many things about Linda that made her such a unique woman – and so easy to love too. She was always friendly and enjoyed having conversations about many different subjects since she was quite intelligent. Linda loved to cook, especially exotic things, and the spicier the better. She additionally loved to bake and was famous for her tortes, both chocolate and vanilla. Linda always made both flavors so that everyone would always have a choice they liked. Whenever there was a family gathering everyone always looked forward to Linda’s dried beef dip. For many years she enjoyed the companionship of her dog, Trina, and she more recently rescued Camy, whom she loved immediately. As Linda got older she became more opinionated and called things like she saw them. She knew what she wanted and could even be a bit strong-willed at times. One was never left to wonder where Linda stood on a particular issue as she was always sure to share her opinion, especially when it came to matters she felt passionate about.

Eventually Linda’s health struggles began to affect certain aspects of her life. After 25 years her health caused problems with her legs and she was no longer able to stand for the longer periods of time that her job required. Linda then found other jobs within the hospital including doing some training and preparing equipment for surgery. When her mobility was even more limited, Linda was forced to retire early although she still enjoyed spending time with her friends. The last six months had been particularly challenging for Linda because she finally had to greatly restrict her lifestyle. One of her longtime friends who was also named Linda, had been especially helpful during these most difficult months.

Some will remember Linda Schreiber for her mouth-watering tortes while others will remember her as an avid reader who always had a book with her wherever she went. All who knew Linda, however, will remember her for her insatiable zest for life and bubbly personality. She was a woman who never let life get the best of her even though she struggled with health challenges throughout nearly her entire life. Linda was vibrant, fun-loving, and a genuine friend. She created countless moments that have become precious memories for all those she leaves behind. Linda will be dearly missed.

Linda Schreiber of Kentwood died on December 16, 2009. Linda’s family includes her brothers, Gary (Maryann) Schreiber, Donald (Rose) Schreiber; her niece and nephews, Wendy, Adam, Andy (Heather) and Matthew Schreiber; as well as great nieces and nephews; and many close friends. Linda was preceded in death by her parents. Friends and family are invited to visit with one another on Sunday, December 20 from 2-5 PM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Homes – Van Strien-Creston – Grand Rapids, MI, 1833 Plainfield NE. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can share a favorite memory or photo, sign the online guestbook, or make a memorial contribution to the American Diabetes Association.