Linda Sue Swanberg

Linda Swanberg passed away peacefully at home the evening of September 7.

Linda grew up and attended high school in Kalispell. She studied in numerous locations and finished her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Russian, Literature, and Poetics at the University of Montana. She met her husband Gregg in 1980. They relocated to Missoula where they made their home in a circle of many friends and pets. Here, Linda discovered her love of gardening, and created a refuge she generously shared with her community, which she called The Hermitage. She loved sharing books from her library and plants from her garden. She was also a published poet, writer, composer, and musician. Her memoir, One Inextricable Beam, three poetry chapbooks, and two books about her garden: The Voice of This Calling, and Soul Making in the Garden are a legacy of her embodied love of life and the natural world. At the time of her death, she was composing a suite of pieces for oboe, cello, and harp with her composition teacher, Ken Grant.

Linda is preceded in death by her parents and one beloved sister, and is survived by her husband, Gregg, three siblings, nieces and nephews, and many devoted friends. She is remembered as selfless, compassionate, generous, open-hearted and deeply spiritual.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to an animal rescue of choice.