Whitey Pooh-Looza 2010

Dedication Page to our sister...
Linda Alice Stevens Ferrentino
September 26th, 1957 ~ July 15th, 2011

The below photo montage represents just a small look at Linda, followed by her brother's eulogy.

Eulogy

I’d like to thank everyone for coming out today, I know Linda would have been very happy to see you all.

Just wanted to share a few of my memories and thoughts about my sister.

·        One of my earliest memories was actually captured on the front page of the Asbury Park Press. It was a black
and white grainy picture of a four year old me, and a 12 year old Linda, sitting on the roof of a car, waving small
American flags on Broad Street in Long Branch during the Columbus Day parade. I remember the day, with the
aged cutout a confirmation of our little moment in history.

·        Other warm memories I have, literally, are of my big sister Linda and I, along with other assorted teenagers
spending time at the Bath Avenue beach. The sounds of Gilbert O’Sullivan playing on the transistor radio, anxiously
waiting for my next trip up the stairs to the snack bar, where frozen snickers and cracker jacks awaited. (Yes, I
always tried to bypass time by opening the box upside down, to quickly locate the prize inside). In between snacks,
Linda and I would spend time riding the waves. She loved body surfing and never cared who joined her. If
somebody would play with her, that’s all she seemed to care about.

·        We were official members of the “isthereanythingcomingoutofmynose” club, the question always asked by the
person who had just came out of the water.

·        Living with her and Basil during my last year of college. When the housing officials at Stockton found me unfit
for a room, she was the first to offer one of hers.

·        Her love of her daughter Kristin. In looking for photos to present today, there was no shortage of Linda and
Basil and Onion Head pictures. Kristin was always our first topic of conversation through the years, through good
times and tough times. She’s turned out remarkable sane, with the entire family very proud of her as well.

Things I will miss:

·        Her generosity, she’d give you the shirt off her back.

·        Her zest for a good time.

·        Her love of Jenga.

·        She really love Bruce Springsteen and in particular Rosalita. I never have, nor never will hear that song without
immediately thinking of her.

·        How excited she was to get free stuff. One of the last times we spoke this week, she happily reported the TV
was free in the new wing she was in.

·        She loved music. While most of us love music, she loved music the way you should. Loud and raucous. Turn
it up to 11, play it again, and again and again.

Things I will miss, that I should not miss…

·        Her love of Joan Jett, turned up to 11, every morning as she got ready for work, and I was trying to sleep off the
previous night’s festivities.

·        Driving: I’ve known a lot of bad drivers, but she was hands down the worst.

Dogs are known to love cars. Dogs love driving in cars. Linda was so bad, that either dogs Bessie or Gus (or both)
once threw up in her purse after driving around with her. They simply did what anyone who ever drove with her was
thinking.

She once hit and/or grazed several cars one snowy afternoon, while returning from a day of sledding with me and
Bretzger. She banked off of his Olds 98 and came to a stop. Bretzger and I jumped out and immediately kissed the
snow covered earth. Just a terrible driver.

She would call me her “Brutha from the same mutha”, and I’d refer to her as my “sista from a different mista”.    Our
family, this family is both unique and in a way, pretty typical of today’s American family. Different pieces put
together, ever changing and growing. Sadly enough we lost a piece this week in Linda, a little sparkplug that we will
have to - and will go without-but in doing so, the ride won’t quite as much fun.

Thank you…

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