Linda Ekstrom Stanley

Linda Ekstrom Stanley, a long-time resident of Belvedere and a force of strength, intelligence, adventure, and assertiveness, passed away at the age of 90 in Cambridge, MA, on August 17, 2024, due to complications from a pulmonary thromboembolism. Born on November 14, 1933, to Viktor and Anna Ekstrom in Leominster, MA, Linda traveled through life with an insatiable appetite for knowledge and a fierce commitment to excellence that impressed everyone around her.

Her academic accomplishments were formidable. Growing up with immigrant parents who never attended college, Linda earned her A.B. in economics, cum laude, from Smith College, and went on to secure an M.A. in history as a Ford Foundation Fellow from Yale University. Her pursuit of education did not end there. After bearing three daughters, she achieved a J.D., graduating cum laude and serving as a Law Review editor, from Wake Forest University School of Law. Even in her later years, Linda continued to challenge herself, obtaining an M.P.A from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government at the age of 66.

Linda began her career as a junior and high school history teacher in California and New England. The 1970s marked a pivotal, feminist shift when she embraced the field of law, entering law school at age 39. She and her family moved to Belvedere in 1976, where Linda worked exhaustively to become a respected bankruptcy attorney in San Francisco. Linda’s expertise and dedication led to her 1994 appointment as the United States Trustee for Northern and Eastern California and the state of Nevada, a position she held with originality and spirit for eight years. Before her move to Cambridge, MA, in 2008, she shared her vast bankruptcy-law experience as an adjunct professor at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco (formerly Hastings College of the Law).

Linda’s thirst for learning never waned; she audited courses at Harvard University well into her 80s, covering an array of subjects from government and finance to English literature. Her intellectual pursuits were complemented by an energetic personality that made her a cherished colleague, mentor, and friend.

Linda is survived by her partner, Keith Brion; her sister, Anne Ekstrom; her daughters, Christina Stanley, Jennifer Stanley, and Kerstin Clark; and her grandchildren, Spike Sommers, Leif Clark, Anna Reilly, and Maxine Clark, who will carry forward her legacy of curiosity and passion for life.

Linda’s life was a testament to the democratizing power of education, the pursuit of equity, and the importance of civil engagement and service. Her impact on her colleagues, friends, and family provides an indelible mark of her commitment to quality and hard work. She will be remembered as a trailblazer who lived life to the fullest, embracing every challenge with courage and ferocity.