Linda Joyce Towse

Linda Towse, Congressional Staffer, 69

Linda Joyce Towse of Arlington, VA passed away on July 6, 2019, after a brief illness. A Stoneham native; she was the first-born child of Marian (MacDonald) Towse of Stoneham and the late Daniel C. Towse.
Linda was an honor student at Stoneham High School, class of 1968, and earned a BA in Government from Simmons College in 1972. She was elected to the Stoneham Charter Commission in the early 1970’s. After graduating from college, she worked as an intern in the Boston office of Senator Edward Brooke and was soon hired as a constituent caseworker, serving the people of Massachusetts in that capacity for six years. Linda relocated to the Washington, DC area in 1979 to join the staff of Representative Thomas Petri of Wisconsin and stayed for 35 years serving as chief caseworker and office manager. Representative Petri praised her 42-year Congressional career from the floor of the House on the occasion of her retirement in 2014. www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6g4HsAc3U4

Linda enjoyed travel and in 1975 participated in a YMCA trip to the Soviet Union, one of the early tourist groups allowed to visit that country. She was interested in history and liked to visit historic landmarks during her trips. She and Marian drove to Florida several times, stopping along the way to visit president’s homes and old Southern cities.
Although she lived in Virginia for 40 years Linda always considered Massachusetts to be her home. She was an avid Red Sox fan, keeping score like a pro. While working for Senator Brooke she assisted Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant in bringing his parents to this country from Cuba. She was devoted to her family, never missing a holiday, often vacationing with her sisters or parents. She was a generous sister and daughter and will be sorely missed.
Linda was pre-deceased by her father, Dan Towse and a sister Christine Towse. She leaves her mother, Marian Towse; sister Janet Towse of Alexandria, NH; sister, Amy Sternberg and brother-in-law, Robert Sternberg of West Tisbury, MA; aunts, Shirley (Messier) MacDonald of Windsor, CT,,Valerie (Otteson) MacDonald of Mukilteo, WA and Karyl (Ronka) Towse of Wasco, CA along with many cousins.
Interment will be private. A memorial service will be held at a date to be announced.