FAYETTEVILLE — Linda Mae Sackary Stafstrom

passed away on December 8, 2022. She was born in Chisholm, Minn., the third child of Harry Milton Sackary and Sa l ly Ilona Maki. Linda believed that she was born on April 25, 1942, a date she celebrated until 2008 when she received a copy of her birth certificate stating her date of birth as April 24th. Going forward, she insisted on celebrating both. Linda’s siblings include Milton Herald, Beverly Ann and Robert.

Linda was very proud of her Finnish heritage and grew up listening to Finnish spoken by her parents and grandparents. She would later fill her home with Finnish books, art and furnishings. She shared a great interest in her family genealogy with her cousin Rick Kent.

Growing up in a small iron ore mining town during the 1950’s meant summer family gatherings at the cabin on Ely Lake with swimming and picnics, and gorging on ‘pigs’, a Finnish jam-filled pastry. In the winter, the lake sauna offered many challenges, including sitting on the top bench, flying out the door and jumping into a hole broken in the ice. Cold winter days on the Mesabi Iron Range were spent reading, listening to the radio, sledding and ice skating. Linda was rarely without a book in her hand, and this was a pastime that she carried throughout her life.

Linda moved to Fayetteville, Ark., in the mid 60’s to attend the University of Arkansas. She completed a B.A. in English Literature, then an M.A., plus Ph. D. coursework. She was an excellent student and teaching assistant and was named Phi Beta Kappa in 1969.

After finishing her Ph. D. coursework and preliminary exams, she became interested in horses and in rural Arkansas and moved to the country for several years.

In 1980, she returned to the University as an admissions counselor. Here she met with prospective students and their parents and helped with the admissions process and familiarized them with campus. She set the tone for a good experience. She rose up the ladder in the admissions department until she became director in 1993.

She had a talent for organization and goal setting, clear communication, amiable interactions with those in the department, and thorough knowledge of programs all over campus. She worked with numerous committees, helping establish academic standards, providing academic support for those who needed it, and cooperating across the campus to create consistency in the admissions process. She liked working with students, parents, faculty and staff.

In 1998, Linda changed fields and began working for Life Styles, Inc. where she would stay until her retirement in 2021. She worked as Residential Coordinator before serving as Job Coach for high school students. Through this position, she had the joy of watching dozens of young people transition from school to their first employment opportunity. Linda thrived in helping people in both of her professions and relished in the successes of others.

Linda was on the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of the Ozarks for over 10 years, serving as Secretary, Vice President and President. Linda had a love of literature and teaching, animals (great and small), sewing and crafts, art and antiques, and University of Arkansas athletics, especially Razorback football and Lady Razorback basketball. She loved travelling and vacationed in Finland, Paris and England and took a cruise to Alaska as well as untold domestic trips. August was her favorite month of the year as she could not wait to travel back to Minnesota, spending weeks every year with her extended family.

Linda had a wonderful laugh—authentic, lively and unreserved. She was wickedly funny, thoughtful and smart and kept those lucky enough to know her engaged with her challenging and frank sense of humor.

Linda is survived by many close friends, most who have known and loved her for decades. She is also survived by many relatives including her nephew John “Backseat” Strle of Virginia, Minn., niece-inlaw Sharon Strle of Gilbert, Minn., cousin Rick Kent of Battle Ground, Wash.

A private memorial will be held in Fayetteville with a family burial to follow in her hometown of Chisholm. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to: The Lib Horn Animal Shelter, 1640 S. Armstrong Ave., Fayetteville, Ark., 72701 or The Lester C. Howick Animal Shelter, 801 W. Clydesdale Dr., Fayetteville, Ark. 72701.