Linda Ann Martin Haight, who lived in Sandpoint, Idaho, as a girl and young woman, died peacefully in her home in Spokane Valley, Washington, in the early morning of July 2, 2020. Surrounded by her family, Linda’s death marked the end of a five-and-a-half year battle with metastatic breast cancer. She was 80 years old.

Born on April 21, 1940, in Gooding, Idaho, Linda was the second child of Leavitt “Nick” and Lenore Haight. She lived her first eight years in Shoshone, Idaho, and then moved with her family to Sandpoint in 1948 where she lived for most of her formative years. The family lived on a ranch and Linda had her own horse, Sheba, whom she loved dearly. She attended Sandpoint High School and graduated in 1958 — that same year she was named Miss Sandpoint. Her father had been the principal of Sandpoint High and her mother was also a teacher there.

Linda attended the University of Idaho from 1958-1960 studying education. There, she met Stan Martin and the two were married in 1960. Soon after, the couple went overseas to Würzburg, Germany, where Stan was stationed as a missile launch officer. There, she gave birth to her first son, David, in 1963.

After returning to the United States, Linda completed her bachelor’s degree in education from Eastern Washing-ton Univer-sity and taught briefly in Seattle, Washing-ton. Her husband, Stan, was raised in a newspaper family and in 1967, with the assistance of his father, was able to purchase the Trinity Journal in Weaverville, California, where he became publisher. Linda lived in Weaverville, helping Stan with the paper for many years. She had two more sons there — James born in 1968 and Greg born in 1971.

In 1978, Stan died suddenly due to complications from a severe broken leg and Linda was immediately thrust into the role of Trinity Journal publisher and single mother of three young boys. It was always a mark of family pride that, despite the sudden death of Stan, Linda was still able to shepherd the paper out on time that week.

Linda re-married in 1980 to Gary Hawk, who was the pastor of Trinity Congregational Church in Weaverville. In 1983, Gary moved the family to Helena, Montana, after getting a ministry job there. Linda lived in Helena until 1992 and had been a stay-at-home mom and then later a medical transcriptionist at Shodair Hospital.

After divorcing, Linda shed the roles of publisher’s wife and minister’s wife and became a fiercely independent, thriving woman. She moved to Missoula, Montana, in 1992 and got her master’s degree in education from the University of Montana. She took up bike touring and rode in the annual Tour of the Seeley Swan River Valley.

In the fall of 1997, Linda moved to Bakersfield, California, and returned to being an elementary school teacher, this time at Sierra Vista Elementary School in Arvin, California. She loved her time there and her skills were recognized when she was asked to be a teacher’s coach. She had many friends in the area and made a home for herself.

In 2007, Linda retired so she could care for her ailing mother at the family home in Spokane Valley. She lived the rest of her life there. It was during her retirement when Linda met the real love of her life, Rowdy, a labradoodle puppy that became her closest, most loyal and loving companion.

Linda was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in 2015 but remained resilient through several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation — never letting her diagnosis stop her from living life on her terms. She started playing Bridge with a group of friends and stayed independent, living in her own house during her entire battle with cancer.

She was a devoted and caring mother, a profound lover of animals, and a remarkably resilient woman who never succumbed to despair when faced with enormous tragedies or painful situations.

Linda is survived by her brother, Larry Haight, and his wife, Barbara Haight; her sons, Dave, James and Greg Martin; her grandchildren, Graham, Colin, Nicole, Ian, Margot, and Natalia Martin; her daughters-in-law, Bonnie, Veridiana and Annalisa Martin; and her nieces and nephew, Jackie, Jill and Nick Haight. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nick and Lenore; and her younger sister, Vicky.

No public memorial is planned and, in lieu of flowers, a donation to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or the Humane Society is suggested.

A private family memorial at the family’s property on Lake Pend Oreille.