Throwback Thursday: January 20, 2022
This week we remember the life and work of Village Historian Linda J. Standish, who passed away on January 16, 2022. Linda’s accomplishments were many, but we will always recognize her as a friend of our library who collaborated, and participated in many of the local history programs and exhibits we have hosted over the years.
In October 2015 we partnered with Linda to host the first of what would become a series of guided lantern tours through Washingtonville Cemetery. These tours promoted the historic significance of this landmark, while highlighting notable individuals buried there. Linda worked with our local history librarian to create biographical sketches of the people and events being discussed. She also gathered an army of volunteers to direct traffic, set up luminaries, and take donations. The first lantern tour program would go on to win an “Honorable Mention Award” for Adult Program of the Year from the Ramapo Catskill Library System (RCLS).
Linda’s knowledge of local history was also a great asset to our library. She was the “go-to” person to help answer historic mysteries that couldn’t be found in our archives. At the same time, she would contact our staff and use the library’s resources to help her in her research, and attended many of the local history talks and programs we hosted to gain knowledge or provide feedback on what was being discussed.
Today we mourn the loss of a great historian and friend, but we will always remember her strength and spirit in every program we host and every researcher we assist. Thank you Linda J. Standish for your years of service to our community, and our library.
