Linda Diane Gubala

Linda Diane Gubala, 66, of Frederick died Friday, May 17, 2013 at Johns Hopkins Hospital Baltimore.

Born January 2, 1947 in Cheektowaga, NY, she was the daughter of the late Helge (Gene) Eugene and Virginia Iva Mikolin Nurmi. After graduating from Cleveland Hill High School, she married Leon A. Gubala, Jr. and shortly after moved to Okinawa Japan where Leon was stationed in the United States Air Force. She loved the years they spent on the island especially since her late father Gene was stationed there during World War II and she felt his presence near her.

After leaving the service, they moved to the small college town of College Park, Maryland so Linda and Leon could enroll in the University of Maryland. While living there, they became a part of the counter-culture of the day and Linda soon joined in the fight, as a lobbyist, to repeal the draft during the Vietnam War. They were invited to join a commune in West Virginia where they temporarily moved while working to build their own home nearby. The time Linda spent in West Virginia was filled with celebrations of life while they worked to create a self-sufficient homestead.

Linda contracted rheumatic disease as a teen and the harsh West Virginia winters were detrimental to her already weakened heart so she and Loree moved to South Florida where she underwent the first of many open heart surgeries. As a single parent, Linda struggled to work and raise her daughter at a time when most women did not work outside the home. No matter how tired or ill she was, her daughter was her life and her first priority so much so that when Loree moved back to Maryland and became pregnant with her first child, Linda moved to Maryland as well because she could not stand the thought of being separated from her grandchild. Linda spent the remaining years of her life in Frederick where she doted on each grandchild. One of their favorite things to do together was to create a seasonal changing art gallery in her condo complete with opening night festivities. She was an avid gardener in her youth, an avid reader, and a writer of poetry and short stories. She loved to travel and was thrilled to spend two weeks in Finland meeting family members for the first time; she also loved taking her grandchildren to historic sites throughout the East Coast. Recognizing the need to support the American Heart Association, Linda regularly donated through Jump Rope for Heart and other fundraisers.



Linda is survived by her daughter Loree Sichelstiel of Frederick; Grandchildren Madyson, Makenzie and Mason; Son-in-law Krag Sichelstiel of Frederick; Brothers John Nurmi, of Florida, and Robert Nurmi and wife Cindy, of New York. She is also survived by 1 niece, 3 nephews, and a great-niece and a great-nephew.

Services and interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Heart Association at www.heart.org

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.staufferfuneralhome.com