Linda Hartzell Obituary, Death – The passing of Linda Hartzell, a long-time camper, has left Camp Courageous in a state of profound mourning. 1981 was the year when Linda first visited Camp! She came to this location 32 times and traveled with Camp to a number of other cities and states including Omaha, Twin Cities, Springfield, Wisconsin Dells, Milwaukee, and others. She was a close friend named Linda.
The twenty-first of September in 1984 was the highlight of my time spent with Linda. The visit of President Reagan at the Cedar Rapids Airport took place. Because we were able to secure tickets, we decided to give the campers the chance to vote on whether or not they wanted to see the President during physically challenged week at camp. They all voted in the affirmative. Thus, the Campers were loaded onto the Camp Buses, and we drove off in the direction of the airport.
Because of her medical condition, Linda had to lie completely still while being transported on a stretcher. Volunteers for Maintenance Chuck Wood and Gene Junker hoisted Linda and her stretcher into the air so that she could view the President. In response, the President waved to Linda. one of the most remarkable things that happened to me while I was at Camp Courageous. For the next forty years, the phrase “remember when…” was frequently used to begin our conversations. Everyone found tremendous motivation in Linda. Her gentle, charitable, and receptive nature will be sorely missed.