WATERTOWN, NY —Â Linda Marie Pitkin (Collins), age 59, passed away quietly in her sleep on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at 6pm after her yearlong battle with stage 4 cancer at Samaritan Medical Center.
She is survived by her three children Lyndon, Robin, and William. As well as her 9 Grandchildren (Tobias, Collin, Guenevere, Danielle, Tyler, Damien, Blake, Bre, and Skyler)
This past year of her life I had the privilege of being able to be there and care for my mother as she fought cancer. I wouldn’t change that or give that time away for anything. It allowed me and my mother to grow closer together, it allowed her to get to know her grandchildren and them in turn get to know her. While standing by my mother’s side as she fought every day with every breath, she was in her last days able to still teach me a few things:
1) You are way stronger than you ever imagined you could be when you are fighting for your loved ones.
2) Family and the time you have with them will always be more important than anything else in your life
3) You never know when the last time you will have the chance to see them or tell them you love them.
My mother may no longer be with us, but her spirit of giving will live on. Throughout her life, she always did what she could to help others in need, even when facing her own struggles.
I’m not going to pretend that my mother didn’t struggle with her illness, but anyone who knows her knows she was a tough woman who put up a fight and never let cancer take her spirit, or sense of humor.
I wish I could say that my mother’s final months of life were always easy. However, the truth is slowly passing away from cancer is never easy. Not on the person who has it, or the loved ones that are there to assist and aid them in the end.
Being with my mother in her last year and witnessing the tenacity she fought against cancer made me think of this old Winston Churchill quote ” I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is ready for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter”
There was a lot of love in my mom’s life. Even though she is gone now, I know her legacy will live on in all of us. She was an incredible mother and grandmother who inspired everyone who knew her. Mom, your memory and love will live on in all our hearts forever. Mom, we love you and miss you.
Linda worked for several years as a home healthcare worker at Samaritan Medical Center. Per her wishes, there are no public services planned at this time.
Condolences may be made online at reedbenoit.com
Arrangements are with Reed & Benoit Funeral Home, Inc.