Ana Linn

Oakdale - Ana's motto: "Life is an adventure;" and she lived it traveling to seven continents, multiple countries (some many times) as an explorer and xenophile to experience the sensory embodiment, novelty and learning that comes from travel. Ana believed cultural exchange was the avenue to world peace. From stargazing in the Amazon, to meeting orangutans in Borneo, to experiencing an early morning Africa game drive and the colors of icebergs in Antarctica, she felt blessed to witness the dazzling beauty of nature. Life is short; no guarantees. She loved nature, gardening, swimming, fencing, hiking and her beloved myriad of companion animals and outdoor wildlife. She loved God's creatures and once even successfully resuscitated a drowned daddy-long-legs spider in her bathtub.

She was a strong proponent of education and held two healthcare licenses, two master's degrees, and had pursued a Ph.D. On her first day of kindergarten, she was sent to the principal's office for her curiosity: she wondered about and approached an underground garbage container too closely. Although as a child she wished to be a cowgirl and was fascinated by weather/meteorology, her math skills stymied her from pursuing the latter occupation; so, her education and international experiences led to a career in the pharmaceutical industry where she worked for the better part of that career at Abbott, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson. She was a lousy typist, had terrible handwriting, and lacked the virtue of patience which she worked diligently to improve.

A lover of the arts, music, dance, cuisine and theater, she believed in having fun! She exhibited her flair for the dramatic by being a movie extra, volunteering at live theater including Shakespeare festivals and performing in a testimonial commercial. Philanthropy and volunteering were important parts of her life, as she contributed to numerous organizations to demonstrate gratitude. Her happiest moments and greatest creative achievements were the births of her sons, Dr. Jason Linn and Daniel Linn, of whom she was immensely proud. It was only as an adult and after a DNA test that she learned of her Denisovan ancestry. As a believer in time travel, she felt blessed to be born at this time in history, and said, "See you in the next life!" Any donations to animal welfare, World Wildlife Fund or a reputable environmental organization would be appreciated.