Obituary of Linda Marie Hartley

Linda Marie Hartley, daughter of Lorraine Marie Freberg and the late V. J. “Jerry” Michaelson, was born August 19, 1948, in Renton, Washington. She attended Federal Way High School, where she graduated in 1966 before working as an aid in a cardiology office. She attended Centralia College, St. Martin’s college (where she famously attended night school with young Travis in tow) and earned her Bachelor’s Degree from The Evergreen State College. She pursued an education and career as a dental assistant, working for offices in and around Tumwater, Washington, before becoming Executive Secretary for the Thurston-Mason Counties Dental Society for over 15 years.

 

Linda was married to Gerald “Gary” Thornton from September 1966 to 1975, and gave birth to three boys: Rob Wayne Thornton, born March 9, 1967; Richie Thornton, who tragically died shortly after birth on January 23, 1970; and Travis Charles Thornton, born July 29th, 1973. 

 

Linda married Richard Thomas Hartley on June 16, 1984, and gave birth to Michael Thomas Hartley on May 10, 1991. Richard is a well-known and respected goldsmith in Olympia, Washington, and founded Hartley Jewelers with his brother in 1967. Linda took on the role of manager and, together with Rick, operated the local jewelry store until closing the business in 2020. The store enjoyed 50 years of operation, ample time for Linda and Rick to establish deep roots with several generations of local families.

 

Family was deeply important to Linda, who prioritized holiday gatherings and opened her home for familial feasts.  When her son, Travis, moved to Denmark with his wife, Dorthe, and two daughters, Anabel and Madison, Linda enjoyed traveling over 20 times to ensure their bonds stayed strongly connected.

 

Famous for her shining attitude and positive personality, Linda was admired for her ability to “let things roll off her back” and make light of even the heaviest of afflictions. Terribly shy as a young girl, Linda developed a forceful perseverance whose magnitude was most exposed as she ended her battle with cancer. Surrounded with love and her family by her side, Linda passed away peacefully on January 31, 2021.

 

Linda’s dedication to our well being extended beyond her family and friends. Both privately and through the family business, Linda contributed to Evergreen Christian Community, Zonta, POSCA, Safeplace, Thurston County Foodbank, Ladies Medical Auxiliary, Goodwill, Providence St. Peter Foundation, Hands On Children’s Museum, United Way of Thurston County, Miss Washington Association, Miss Thurston County, Wounded Warriors and more. 

 

An avid reader, Linda would fervently pursue the slightest sliver of sunshine to enjoy a book in her “happy place.” She was most fond of historical fiction. This passion for her sun-kissed happy place motivated many of Linda’s travels. She loved the Florida Keys, Dutch Antilles, the Hawaiian Islands, Mexico, Louisiana, Idaho and Montana. She enjoyed her honeymoon with Rick in Thailand, Hong Kong and Singapore. Whenever possible, she included her immediate family in her travels. In 2019, she treated her entire lineage to a week on Crete which, to this day, is still a highlight of all our lives. 

 

Linda’s love of family also motivated many trips around the world to explore and reconnect with our heritage. With her family, she visited all of Scandinavia, where she awakened and forged family bonds that are still holding strong today. 

 

Her love of Il Divo inspired her to travel to attend many of their concerts. Whether a cruise ship where she got to meet the “popera” singers, or going solo to a concert in Germany, Linda was a dedicated fan. 

 

Other passions of Linda were less worldly but equally addictive. See’s Chocolates were a guilty pleasure of Linda’s, who was an early connoisseur and lifelong customer. During her many trips to visit Travis’ family in Denmark, she discovered licorice fudge, which became the instant runner-up favorite to See’s. A perfect complement to her licorice fudge or box of chocolates was her commitment to her favorite soap opera, General Hospital, with which she shared thousands of hours over decades of viewing. End the day with a round of the card game “Liverpool,” or an episode of Jeopardy, and you have one happy Linda.

 

When not indoors indulging in her favorite pastimes, Linda would often be found outside with her fingers in the soil of her gardens. Scooting along with a can of Diet Coke, she was often observed following the path of the sun rather than the contours of the garden. 

Linda enjoyed an exceptionally close relationship with her sisters, Lori Schill and Lisa Sisk. Their closeness and dedication to each other has been both the glue of the family and a beacon for the rest of us to follow when distance or time becomes too great. Their profoundly supportive friendship strengthened them through marriages, births, travels, “sisters’ weekend” and all the tragedies and celebrations that define our lives.  

 

Linda etched permanently her love and light in the hearts of her three grandchildren. Each enjoyed a special relationship with her. Wyatt, her first and only grandson, was shone upon by Linda’s determination to ensure he always had the best shoes. He dubbed her the “Shoe Grandma.” 

Anabel was Linda’s first granddaughter. Being born in Denmark did not stop Linda from being there when Anabel came into the world. An immediate and permanent closeness was galvanized from day one and continued throughout the years, undiluted by distance. Grandma Linda became “Farmor,” Danish for grandma, and Anabel became Farmor’s “Tiny One." 

 

A couple years later, Anabel’s sister, Madison was born. Again, Farmor made the trip to Denmark to be there for the birth to make sure a loving bond was forged with her from day one. It was easy for the two to fall in love with each other and Farmor was quick to observe Madison’s sweet nature and nicknamed her, “Sweet Pea.” 

 

At 90 years old, Linda’s mother, Lorraine, enjoyed 72 years with her first daughter. The ever dedicated daughter, Linda would often accompany Lorraine on their many trips to Kaui, Hawaii, where Lorraine had a time-share for many years. Together with Linda’s sisters, they also enjoyed a pilgrimage to Norway and Denmark, where many relatives were visited and new friendships kindled.  

 

There are many more who will cherish Linda’s memory and appreciate the impact she had on our lives. Among them are her nieces, Jennifer, Lindsay, and Katelin, and her nephews Brian, Nick and Brady. 

 

A memorial celebration will be planned and announced on Linda’s Facebook page at a later date, when the COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. If you wish to share a memory, you may also do so on Linda’s Facebook page.

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