Linda Pallas Dickens (May 25, 1939 – March 22, 2020), of Southborough and South Yarmouth, Massachusetts. Linda was born and raised in Freeport, New York. She was 80 years old at the time of her passing, though she considered herself to be much younger at heart.
For the first nine years of her life, Linda enjoyed being the apple of her parents’ (Murray and Helen Pallas’s) eyes. In that eventful year, the arrival of brother Jeffrey changed EVERYTHING. Despite the family’s growing pains and Linda’s clear feelings of displacement, she eventually grew to love her brother very much. That is, at least until it was time for her to split for college and leave Jeffrey in the dust.
In the Fall of 1957, Linda left the beaches of Long Island for the brutally cold Winters of Potsdam, New York to attend SUNY Potsdam. There she joined a sorority, made lifelong friends (Hello Evie Bernstein!), dated eligible bachelors who she met at Jewish mixers that were combined with the Hillel from nearby Clarkson College. It was at one of these dances that HISTORY happened. Linda met Samson Dickens, a dashing, but nerdy engineering student from the Catskills who eventually convinced Linda that she had no choice but to fall in love with him and get married.
Linda and Sam were married in June of 1961. They settled in Massachusetts where Linda began teaching 3rd grade. After a brief teaching career, she was blessed with three marvelous and gifted children: Beth Dickens (of Southborough, MA), Michelle Dickens-Weil (of Ashland, MA), and Matt Dickens (of Hazlet, NJ).
After raising her brilliant children, Linda decided to go back to school to get a Master’s degree and became a psychotherapist. Okay…maybe the brilliant children drove her to seek clarity and a deeper understanding of the human psyche. Or…they just drove her crazy.
Eventually, Linda settled into private practice. Throughout the years, she had a steady stream of therapists in practice with her, but found her tribe when she formed Windward Associates and teamed with Timothy Hodgens, PHD and Mary Dubois. This dynamic trio helped countless people change their lives for the better.
Through the years, their children settled into their own lives, with Michelle marrying her Prince Charming (Evan Weil) who also brought Linda her first grandson (Dane Lindenmuth) into the family with him, and Matt marrying his Queen of Hearts (Patti Dickens). Matt and Patti gave Linda the sweetest icing on her cake in the form of grandchildren Bobby, Morgan and Ryan Dickens. Linda was also blessed when Bobby and his fiancée Brittany put some sprinkles on that icing in the form of great grandson Ronan. What about Beth, you ask? Linda says if you know a nice, eligible gentleman, could you please give him her number?
As Linda and Sam neared retirement, they spent increasingly more time in their home on Cape Cod. They became active members of Cape Code Synagogue where Linda was known for her warmth, her humor and her delicious cooking. She was also very proud to become a Bat Mitzvah (for the 2nd time) in her 70s.
In her later years, as age and illness began to compromise Linda’s capabilities, she was aided by her very devoted and loving friend Debbie Heller, whose remarkable patience and encouragement provided Linda with much needed stimulation—which strengthened her both physically and mentally. Debbie became a true member of the family.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a private burial will take place at the Sharon Memorial Cemetery in Sharon, MA.
Linda’s two great causes were those that empowered women or furthered the goals of Judaism in America. To support these causes, donations in her honor can be made to either:
Women’s Lunch Place 67 Newbury Street Boston, MA 02116
Or
Cape Cod Synagogue 145 Winter Street Hyannis, MA 02601 Attention: Endowment Fund
(Obituary via Doane Beal & Ames on Dignitymemorial.com)
