 Buettner, Linda L.
Linda Lee Buettner of Greensboro, NC, age 56, died on April 26, 2012 with her loving lifelong partner, Sue, at her side. Lin was born in Wolcott, NY and lived many years in Ithaca, NY and Port Charlotte, Fl before moving to North Carolina. Lin is survived by her dear soul mate - who loved and cared for her in her most difficult times - Sue Fitzsimmons; her beloved dog Bandi; her daughter Amber Lasovoy; stepdaughter Megan Macario; stepson Brock Fitzsimmons; grandchildren Jaymes and Sierra; sister Susan Brazo and many nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles. She was preceded in death by her parents, Cecil and Carrie Buettner, and her stepdaughter Jana Sheets. She was a superb athlete, competing in triathlons and was on the US Woman's Soccer team. Coaching soccer at Ithaca College she received not only Coach of the Year but was recently inducted into their Hall of Fame. Linda received her undergraduate degree at Cortland State University, her masters at Bowling Green University in Ohio, and her doctorate in Gerontology and Recreational Therapy from Penn State University. Upon her death she was a professor in the department of Community and Recreational Therapy at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and was an adjunct at Binghamton University, and the University of Stavanger in Stavanger, Norway. Her past work history included Ithaca College and Binghamton University in NY and Florida Gulf Coast University. Lin was world renown for her research of therapeutic programs for older adults with secondary symptoms of dementia, depression, delirium, and apathy and evaluating non-pharmacological interventions. Lin was the editor of the American Journal of Recreation Therapy and the Activities Directors Quarterly along with being on numerous editorial boards. At Binghamton University she was the director of the Caswell Alzheimer's Disease Assistance Center and at Florida Gulf Coast University she was the Director of the Center for Positive Aging. Lin received research grant funding from several organizations including the Alzheimer's Association, Rosalyn Carter Caregiver Foundation, Retirement Research Foundation, New York State Dementia grants, Florida Innovative programming grants, and the National Institute on Aging. She authored many books and hundreds of publications. An inspirational speaker she was able to excite and electrify audiences. As a teacher she mentored and inspired her students. She received hundreds of awards, including the Barry Reisberg Non-Pharmacological Researcher and Clinician Award; North Carolina Therapeutic Recreation Professor of the Year; American Therapeutic Recreation Association Fellow, Scholarly Achievement, and Presidential Award; Edna Stilwell Gerontological Nursing Research Paper Award. Additionally, she was a fellow in the Gerontology Society of America and the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education. She participated as an expert in various panels for national and governmental agencies. She founded Dementia Day Camp, a consortium of dementia researchers from around the world that meets yearly to discuss the future of dementia research. She was known for her innovative, novel research ideas that were always years ahead of their time. Examples of her innovative research include Wheelchair Biking for older adults, Simple Pleasures for nursing homes, college courses for persons with mild cognitive impairments. To say that her presence will be greatly missed by her family, friends, the field of recreational therapy, geriatrics, and the worldwide field of dementia care is an understatement. Lin contributed greatly to the field of recreational therapy, pioneering the role of the recreational therapist in long-term care. She served on the board of directions for the American Therapeutic Recreation Association and led the Geriatric Treatment Network, mentoring many up and coming professionals. She developed professional practice guidelines, monographs, and shared her research and work willingly to interested practitioners through numerous trainings and presentations. Her understanding of the relationship between human and animals led her to a passion - Animal-Assisted Therapy. She worked tirelessly for Pet Partners (formally the Delta Society), becoming a trainer and facilitating classes in Florida and North Carolina, preparing hundreds of Pet Partner Teams. She, along with students and colleagues, conducted research that demonstrated the importance of animals to health outcomes. The way Lin treated love, life and work is reflected in her favorite saying, "there is no finish line". There will be an open house at 311 S Chapman St., Greensboro, NC on Saturday, May 5 at 1:00 p.m. for all friends and family who wish to attend. A celebration of Lin's life will be announced this summer where she will be laid to rest in a green natural cemetery in the rolling hills of Ithaca, NY, surrounded by nature, trees and natural flora and fauna. Lin has suggested that anyone wishing to honor her life and her work may make a gift online to the PetPartner.org or by mail: 875 124th Ave NE, Suite 101, Bellevue, WA.
Published in Ithaca Journal on April 28, 2012
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