Linda Whitehead-Truss Deatrick, 75, Leonardtown, MD passed away suddenly on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital with her loving husband John Frederick Deatrick at her side.
She was born on March 9, 1947, in Glasgow, United Kingdom to Muriel Nelson Whitehead and the late Vincent Whitehead. She met her husband, John Frederick Deatrick, in London, England where she worked and where he was stationed at the US Navy offices in London. She came to the United States after he was transferred to Washington, DC, to test their relationship in this country. They married on November 7, 1970, to the love of her life, John, in Washington, D.C. at the National Presbyterian Church, adjacent to Naval Security Station where John was stationed. Together they celebrated over 53 blessed and wonderful years together; based on love, a spirited interest in both each other’s needs and the world, and reconciliation when problems inevitably did arise over their long marriage and time together.
Along with being a devoted wife to John, Linda was the consummate professional throughout her life and in the many paths and locations that her career and marriage with John took her. She earned her undergraduate degree, a Bachelor of Design, in June 1969 from The Royal College of Art, London, England and her graduate degree, a Master of Arts in Arts Education, in August 1974 from the College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning at the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
Prior to receiving her Masters, Linda worked as a teacher in London; an Interior Designer in London, Washington, DC, and Cincinnati; and a Project Director for a construction company doing historic building renovation in Cincinnati. She then served as a Visiting Critic/Adjunct Professor, commuting weekly to teach in Providence, Rhode Island at the Rhode Island School of Design in Interior Design before becoming an Artist in Residence at the Brighton Center, Newport, Kentucky, bringing art classes and shows and other events to that community.
She then transitioned to Arts Administration, working as consultant on funding and grant writing, and ultimately for eight years, as the Executive Director of Summerfair, Inc., in Cincinnati, running their annual multi-day juried arts fair with 150 volunteers. With the proceeds from the arts fair admission and refreshment/food sales, she set up a grant program for individual artists and other programs throughout the year. That led her to establishing and leading the Resource Team in conjunction with other talented professionals, for the purpose of assisting nonprofit organizations with fund raising, publicity, event management, and other specialized skills. During a sabbatical in London, England, with John who took a leave of absence to work as an engineering near her family there, she established a branch office of a Cincinnati civil engineering company in association with an UK firm. Mixed in with all of that she was also historic preservation consultant, producing historic district and building nominations for both governments and private individuals, following up with historic tax credit documentation for the owners when buildings were restored and reused in an appropriate manner.
Along with the visual arts, her hobbies included gardening, bird watching, cooking, travel, and pets. She particularly enjoyed the natural beauty of St. Mary’s County. In Cincinnati she enjoyed her volunteer activities at Radio Reading Services and at Christ Church Cathedral, including the Buildings and Grounds Committee during a major renovation of the facilities, flower arranging (trained at the Washington National Cathedral), Plumb Line Ministry (food and rental assistance), and lay reader. In Cincinnati she was also active in the Victorian Society including serving a leadership role.
In addition to her husband, Linda is survived by her mother Muriel, her sister Janice Goldsmith, two sisters- in-laws: Janet A. Deatrick and Jean Rogers Deatrick, and multiple nephews and nieces in the UK.
A memorial celebration will be held at 11:30 a.m., June12, 2022, at Christ Episcopal Church, 25390 Maddox Rd, Chaptico, MD 20621, followed by a reception in the Parish Hall. The Reverend Canon Daniel D. Darko, will officiate. A memorial celebration will be held at a later date at Christ Church Cathedral in Cincinnati where she had many friends.
Memorials can be made in her honor at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation https://www.cbf.org/ and the Greater Cincinnati Foundation https://www.gcfdn.org/ .
Condolences may be made to the family at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com .
Arrangements by Brinsfield Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD.
