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Obituary of Thomas Joseph Linney, Jr.
Thomas Joseph Linney, Jr. 1946-2023
Thomas J. Linney, Jr. died on June 24, 2023 in Arlington, Virginia, after several years of declining health. He was comforted by his children and loved ones at the time of his death.
Thomas was born in San Francisco, California in 1946 to Thomas and Frances Linney. The new family then moved to Redwood City, California where Thomas Jr. spent his childhood years and received his elementary and secondary education. Thomas graduated from Sequoia High School in 1964. He was an outstanding student and active in many activities. He held student government offices, played in the orchestra and marching band, was a member of the tennis, football and water polo teams, and participated in student community service clubs.
Thomas received a Bachelor's degree from California State University, San Francisco, and a Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Education and Government from Claremont Graduate School. He worked for the National Student Association, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington DC from the late 1970s until his retirement in 2002.
The first in his family to go to college, Thomas advocated for better support for higher education and students his entire professional life. He was a natural teacher who relished explaining complex issues, drawing on his remarkable memory for detail. He enjoyed history, government, civic education, photography, cooking, travel, and classical music. Thomas deeply loved and supported his two children, who were adopted from Ukraine in 1994. He also loved dogs and brought several rescue dogs into his home.
Thomas is survived by his children Olga Linney of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Dimitri Linney of Arlington, Virginia, former wives Marilyn Baker of Arlington, Virginia, and Mary Lou Licwinko of San Francisco, California, brother Bob Linney (Janet) of Watsonville, California, sister Carol Hursh (Tery) of Dillon, Montana, and several nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews.
A memorial service will be livestreamed on Saturday, July 29, 2:00pm at Advent Funeral Services, 7211 Lee Highway, Falls Church, VA 22046.
Please click HERE to view the services.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to:
Claremont, CA
Annandale, VA
Memorial Service
