Linda Daves Malone
A beautiful light went out in the world on February 8, 2024 as Linda D Malone, known and loved by so many, passed away in the night while she was sleeping. She leaves behind an unparalleled legacy of genuine kindness and compassion, built over a lifetime of caring for others, and an unfillable absence in the hearts of nearly everyone she knew. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Miles, her parents Raleigh Whitson and Laura Hermena Daves and 5 of her siblings. She is survived by her two children, Laura Bedell of Albuquerque and Hudson Bedell and wife Lauren of Portugal as well as her brother Raleigh W. Daves Jr. and her many beloved nieces and nephews. Born September 4th, 1941 in Burlington NC, she became a nurse as a young woman, and brought her soothing touch, singular kindness, and good humor to everywhere she worked. From maternity wards and emergency rooms to mental health and manufacturing plants, she eased her patient’s pain with her gentle words and unwavering care. But of all the work she did as a nurse, it was hospice care that she loved the most, and she took great satisfaction helping so many leave this world peacefully and with dignity and grace. As a young wife she left behind the familiar and found herself on the tiny Kwajalein atoll in the south pacific sea, where she explored the smaller islands and reefs during low tide, became pregnant with her first child, developed a great love of peanut butter, and watched test missiles streak across the sky.
When she returned to America, she settled in Las Cruces, New Mexico where she raised her two children. She fell in love with the state and its vast skies, beautiful colors, different cultures and warm people.
Beyond her own family, Linda extended her maternal embrace to so many others who needed it. She was the listening ear and the caring heart for troubled teenagers and lost souls, a confidante for the grieving, and a guiding light for those stumbling through life’s storms. Her home was an open door, and her heart equally so. And she sheltered not only humans but also animals, who somehow found her when they were in need. Over her many years, countless stray cats found warmth in her garage, wounded birds and rabbits nestled against her chest, frogs and lizards slept in her hands, and dogs learned to trust again. She taught us that compassion transcends species, that kindness is the greatest medicine, and love, the ultimate healer.
Though Linda is gone now, let us honor her memory by tending to the wounds of others, by extending our umbrellas of compassion, and by giving to those in need. At this time no service is planned, but Linda’s family will gather in the summer, in accordance with her wishes, to spread her ashes in her favorite mountain spot where Miles’ ashes were also released. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org or to hospicefoundation.org/donate