Elaine Linhoff

Edyth "Elaine" Linhoff, a Newport Beach Peninsula Point resident since 1956, passed away peacefully in her home on Wednesday, June 22nd, at the age of 92. She was predeceased by her late husband Ralph Linhoff and her brother Jack Strobel. She is survived by her sister Janet Strobel, son Gregg Linhoff (Michelle) and daughter Karen Luttrell (Rich), five grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter.

Elaine was born on March 5, 1930, in El Centro, California, to John and Edyth Strobel. She was raised on her family's ranch in Imperial Valley, where she helped her family farm 400 acres of pecans, cantaloupes, asparagus, grapes, and alfalfa. She attended UC Santa Barbara, where she was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority, and graduated with a teaching degree in 1951. After graduating, she moved to Stuttgart, Germany where she taught children of US service families while also traveling all over Europe in her free time. After returning to the US, she taught in California's Central Valley before eventually substitute teaching for the Newport Mesa Unified School district, where she worked until she retired in 2012.

Elaine met her husband Ralph after returning to the US, and together they settled into their house on the Peninsula, where she resided until her passing. She was very passionate about local Newport Beach causes and became active in many organizations including the City's Youth Employment Service and CERT program, Philharmonic Society of OC, SPON and the Balboa Peninsula Point Association (where she served on the board for many years). Notably, Elaine was the 2005 recipient of the Frank and Frances Robinson Award for her environmental accomplishments in Newport Beach. In commemoration of this, a special tree and plaque were installed in Bonita Canyon Park in her honor.

In addition to teaching, volunteering, and raising two children, she was very active with hobbies including playing bridge, fishing, cycling, snow skiing, sailing, and traveling. She even took up boogie-boarding in her later years and kept it up well into her 80s. As recently as earlier this year, she could be seen racing her sabot in regattas at the Balboa Yacht Club. Her sense of adventure led to travel many parts of the globe, and she went on several domestic and international week-long bike tours.

She was well known to residents of the Peninsula Point as she could be spotted almost every day riding her bike along the boardwalk and working in her colorful garden that was admired by neighbors and visitors alike. Her warm, welcoming smile will be missed by all those who knew her.

Just two weeks before her passing, she had the extreme joy of meeting her first great-granddaughter, Elle Bordeaux, who was just shy of one-month old at the time. The highlight of Elaine's final days was getting to hold and admire her newest legacy.

A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, September 17th starting at 4pm at the balboa Peninsula Point Association Beach at the intersection of East Balboa Blvd and Channel Road.