Linda Marie Ford England. Photography by Corrie Aune.
A celebration of the late Lakewood neighbor Linda Marie Ford England’s artistry will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 29 at the Bath House Cultural Center.
England, 60, passed away in June “unexpectedly,” according to an Instagram post made by her family.
England showed up in our community in a variety of ways. Whole Foods shoppers may remember chatting with her while she was working there. England was also an artist. She painted abstract images, and she was an actor. In fact, she was part of the team that started Echo Theatre in 1998 (which performs at the Bath House and is hosting the celebration next week) to highlight female playwrights and produce plays created by women.
“We miss our friend and are forever indebted to her bright, brash, brilliant vision,” reads a statement on Echo Theatre’s website. “She remains an inspiration as we continue the mission of the theater she sparked.”
And of course, Lakewood folks may recall that England used to decorate her front windows with messages. This included celebratory announcements as well as jokes and political statements, like “What’s A Pig With No Legs? A Groundhog!”, “Hate Never Made Any Nation Great” and “With Unity We Can Do Great Things.”
England was born in Queens, New York as the oldest of five children, according to her obituary online. She came down south to study drama at the University of Oklahoma, and she met her husband Andy England when she was living in Tulsa. They eventually settled in Dallas and raised three sons.
“Linda England was a force of nature,” reads her obituary. “Her compassion, love and kindness reached to all those around her. To know Linda was to be loved by Linda, and she certainly loved everyone. Beloved wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend and a “Queen” in her own right — Linda was a light to all, and the world will be a little less bright without her presence in it.”
City Council member Paula Blackmon also memorialized England in the District 9 newsletter when she passed away earlier this year. Blackmon and England became close friends as they both raised their children, and England was even able to help out on Blackmon’s campaign for office.
“Our deepest bond remained our shared experience as mothers to three boys,” Blackmon wrote in her June 27 newsletter. “We would often trade stories of the crazy escapades boys get into and laugh at the beautiful chaos of it all. Linda reminded me how lucky we were and helped me understand how special being a mom of boys can be.”
Space is limited for the celebration. Click here to reserve your seat.
