Linda Calef Svenson

Linda Calef Svenson left this world peacefully for the next on Tuesday morning, September the 16th at her home in Barrington, New Hampshire. She was surrounded by the love of her family and the gentle strength of her Pastor, James Frase, as she embarked.

Linda was born on September 7, 1948 to Arlene Rowe Calef and Leon Chesley Calef. She attended school in Barrington until heading off to highschool at Gould Academy and later the Mary Burnham School. The latter in a hope the institution might curb Leon and Arlene's daughter's "social butterfly" tendencies. Their efforts were thankfully unsuccessful.

Following high school, Linda studied early childhood learning at Wheelock College. During her time at Wheelock, Linda met the love of her life on a blind date - a strapping geology major from Colgate, who conveniently had a beach house on Fire Island. John and Linda were married on a memorably hot August day in 1970, with the reception held in the backyard of the home in which she passed.

Her Wheelock degree earned her positions teaching 3rd Grade in Knoxboro, NY and 1st Grade in Madison, NJ. Anyone who knew Linda can only imagine how amazing those 1st and 3rd grade classes must have been.

In 1973, Linda and John rented Leon Calef's poultry barn, and with the help of family and friends, renovated it into a 600 square foot Christmas store dubbed the Christmas Dove. For the next 50 years Linda was the creative force behind the Christmas Dove, growing it to nearly 16000 square feet and opening satellite locations far and wide. Families from throughout the country have made generational memories with Linda's exquisitely tasteful decorations. She took particular pride in store openings, house tours and many television appearances.

Linda and John raised two sons, Mark and Garth, spending years on the ballfields and hockey rinks at the Barrington Youth Association and Berwick Academy. Her home was always magical, as she organized baseball camp and wiffle ball sleepovers in the summer, and pond hockey and, as could be expected, ornate holidays in the fall and winter.

Upon pseudo retirement, Linda became "Gran." Blessed with four amazing granddaughters, the first girls born into the Svenson family in 50 years, she gleefully turned the tables on her once male-dominated household. Afternoons of shopping and fashion shows followed days of shopping, movie nights, more shopping, further fashion shows, endless cooking and were always capped off by more shopping. "We scored!" "Nailed it!" and "Call the Undertaker!" Became the battle cries of her merry band of miniature fashionistas.

Linda loved cooking and all things foodie, priding herself on "having a guy" at the fish market, meat market, farm stand and even Market Basket. She loved photography, earning the nickname "Flash" during her years on Marco Island. She loved her animals. She never stopped mourning her cocker spaniel Murphy, and was with her beloved cat, Portland, to the very last.

Linda is survived by her husband of 55 years, John. But will be with him again sooner or later as Linda demanded that "til death do us part" be removed from their wedding vows. By son Mark Svenson and his wife Tammy of Kittery, Maine. By son Garth Svenson and his wife Elizabeth of Barrington, New Hampshire. By her sister, Patricia Cope of Virginia. And by her pride and joy, her granddaughters, Annabelle and Elsa Svenson of Barrington, and Piper and Ellery Svenson of Kittery.

A time of visitation will be held on Sunday, September 21st from 3 until 5pm at Tasker Funeral Home, 621 Central Avenue in Dover, New Hampshire.