Linda Jessup

1949 - 2010

Linda Claire Maddox Jessup
March 15, 1949 until the Angels came for her on December 23, 2010
Linda was born at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angles and grew up in Gardena, Palmdale, Fair Oaks, Orangevale and Rancho Cordova, California. She was the daughter of Gus Brown Maddox of Shirley, Arkansas and Clara DiMizio Maddox of Rochester, New York.
Linda loved gardening and farming and ran a thriving succulent business where she was fondly known as the "Succulent Lady" to all those in Bear Valley Springs, CA. where she would faithfully have a booth each 4th of July.
Linda always wanted to be a dentist but alas by the time she decided to "go for it", she was in her 30's and didn't want to take all that undergraduate science. So, she headed off to law school instead. She was in private practice before becoming Deputy County Counsel in San Bernardino County and then moving on to Santa Barbara County. Linda graduated from Palmdale High School, California State University, San Bernardino and LaVerne School of Law.
Linda loved to travel, and with her sister Jean, traveled to Scotland, France, Mali, West Africa, the Caribbean, Mexico and around the USA. She also traveled to Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, the South Pacific and Belgium.
Linda played golf, learned to fly an airplane, crochet, played the piano and clarinet and scuba dived. She was a marathon walker with many of her friends, flew in hot air balloons, played pool, baked unique cakes for friends and profit, rescued stray and hurt dogs, was the best waffle maker ever, corrected everyone's grammar (smile), developed "Aunt Linda's Spaghetti", and had published law cases.
Linda was strong and often called herself an ox, which was a play on her maiden name, Maddox. She had limitless energy for friendships and cherished each and every one of them. Many of her friends dated from her elementary school days.
Linda loved Sees candy, menudo and a chicken rice soup from a recipe handed down from her grandparents Tecla and Abraham Di Mizio. Burned garlic bread under the broiler was her specialty (smile).
Linda loved many things including, "Cash Cab", the poem "Invictus", limericks and Ogden Nash…

Untitled
Enter, breath;
Breath, slip out;
Blood, be channeled,
And wind about.
O, blessed breath and blood which strive
To keep this body of mine alive!
O gallant breath and blood
Which choose
To wage the battle
They must lose.
~ Ogden Nash

Linda loved her sons Rafael and Marc Perales and her grandsons, Isaac and Michael with all her heart. In addition to her sons and grandsons, Linda leaves behind her beloved husband William (Bill) Jessup; her sister, Jean Carol Maddox Petty; niece, Christine Carol Rotzinger; nephew, Steven Rotzinger Harris; an aunt, Elaine Maddox Jennings as well as many step and adopted children, grandchildren, daughter's in law, a great nephew and cousins.
Family and friends will honor Linda at a memorial service, Saturday, January 8, at 1pm at Joshua Tree National Park, Black Rock Nature Center (Yucca Valley, CA., off Hwy 62) .
Linda's one regret was that she never owned a horse. She loved horses. If you would like to make a contribution in Linda's memory you can do it online at SponsorAHorse. 100% of every donation made to SponsorAHorse.org is used for Horse Rescue & Rehabilitation. She would love it.

Linda, you will live in our hearts forever.