Lynda D. Wagstaff

Lynda D. Wagstaff passed away of cancer at her Berkeley home on March 11. She was 73. Tall, blond, smart, funny, fun-loving, upbeat, creative, chatty, proud and fashionable, Lynda was also tough, especially during a last decade of physical difficulties. She took immense pride in her son, daughter-in-law, grandson, granddaughter, brothersand sisters-in-law, nieces, nephew, grandnieces and grand nephew. She loved them all intensely. She was also blessed with an extraordinary extended family and a group of wonderful, long-term, loving friends.

A 3rd generation Californian, Lynda was born at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley on June 9, 1947 to parents Cornelius”Bill” Friedrichsen, a Petaluma banker, WWII Army Captain and Silver Star recipient, and Elina “Ellie” Jalo, a Berkeley social worker, both UC Berkeley alums. Lynda attended Larkspur Elementary School in Larkspur CA, Patterson High School in Patterson CA, and El Camino High School in Sacramento. She began college at Cal Poly SLO where she met her future husband, architecture student John Wagstaff. Lynda and John were married in 1967 and Lynda completed her BA in Design from UC Berkeley in 1969.

Lynda enjoyed an initial career as graphic designer for the Lane Co. Planning Dept. in Eugene OR while her husband completed grad school, Sedway Cooke, urban planners in San Francisco and ultimately her own office, The Graphics Staff, serving Bay Area urban planners, architects and landscape architects. She then followed a new path as caterer, corporate concierge and, for 10 years, Concierge Supervisor for the Four Seasons Hotel Residences in SF.

Lynda was past president of the El Cerrito Tennis Club and member of the Bay Area Ladies Tennis League (4.0 USTA rating), Pacific Primary School Board (SF), SF Art Institute Council, Friends of Cal Tennis (Chairperson) and various Berkeley public school PTAs. She was a loyal Eileen Fisher customer and accomplished knitter, a skill that was especially curative in the last years of her life.

Lynda is survived by her beloved family including husband John of Berkeley and son Jim, daughter-inlaw Lindsay and grandchildren Xander and Ivadel of Portland OR.

Her family thanks the staffs of the Kaiser Permanente Oakland, Bay Area Healthcare Center and Continuum Hospice. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Lynda’s memory can be made to Friends of Cal Tennis, Cal Athletic Fund, 195 Haas Pavilion, Berkeley 94720.