Linda Marie Baccki

Linda passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 5, 2025. She passed exactly as she would have wanted: asleep at home, with her beloved dog by her side.

Anticipating her passing and, as always, trying to make life easier for her loved ones, Linda began drafting her own obituary: “Death is part of life, and so it is for me. I was the eldest daughter of Elsie Leona McLain Orff and Arvine Colby Orff, born April 16,1952 at 8:30pm at Grace New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Ct. Life was good as a small kid. We moved from Reynolds Avenue in Branford, CT to Short Beach when I was in second grade. My parents worked constantly to support my younger sister Rosemary and me and did all they could to make us feel special. I loved my life in Branford. I loved school, my friends, living on Long Island Sound near the beaches, and vacations on the coast of Maine every summer visiting my huge family.”

It was in Branford that Linda met and married John, her soulmate and the love of her life. They moved to Arlington, Vermont at a very young age with their two children, Dawn and Keith. Over the years, they loved living in the area and raising their family on the Battenkill River.A strong proponent of higher education, Linda returned to college in her forties and went on to earn a bachelor’s and two master’s degrees,as well as studying for the Vermont bar in her sixties.

Linda was very active in local service industries and made many friends in coworkers and customers alike. She often complained about the work, but she actually loved what she did and especially the relationships she built.

Passionate about animals, Linda enjoyed the company of dozens of pets over the years, from dogs to birds to even a family of ducks. She spent countless hours volunteering with Dorset Equine Rescue and most recently began dog- and cat-sitting for special friends. When she wasn’t fired up about politics, humanitarian issues, or environmental concerns, she was outside in her garden enjoying the fresh Vermont air and feeding the crows. But perhaps her greatest joy was spending time with her family. She was an engaged and proud mother and grandmother, and she will be deeply missed.

Linda is survived by her children Dawn and Keith (Deborah Mead), grandchildren Clay and Chase Hoyt, Veronica Baccki, her sister Rosemary Bourne (Rick), sisters-in-law Lori Taft (Dave) and Cindy Griffith (Russ), many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and her beloved dog, Lucy Lu. Donations in her memory can be made to The Dorset Equine Rescue: https://dorsetequinerescue.networkforgood.com