Linnea Soderlund Coblentz was received in the arms of her Lord on Dec. 4, 2018. Linnea was 88 years old. She was born on May 27, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were Elizabeth Frances Soderlund and Carl Edward Soderlund. Linnea married Donald Raymond Coblentz “Don” on January 22, 1955, in Chicago, Illinois. Their first child, Donald Michael Coblentz, was born in Chicago. They moved to Boca Raton, Florida in 1957, and had three more children: Caryllynn, Jo Anne, and Elizabeth Frances. Linnea was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, and teacher.
She embraced life in every sense of the word. Besides Linnea’s family, she had a passion for many things including sailing, dancing, reading, traveling, exercising, Catholicism and, most of all, her many close friends. Linnea was a pioneer in her own right. She worked full-time, raised four children and was in the first graduating class of Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in 1965. Linnea earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Physical Education. She continued her education at FAU and earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling. In 1968, FAU opened a developmental research school, Alexander. D. Henderson University School. Linnea became its director of physical education and a team coach for the next twenty-five years. She was also an Adjunct Physical Education Professor at FAU. After Linnea retired from FAU, she moved with her husband Don to Sebastian, Florida and lived there for fifteen years. In 2007 she and Don moved to Etowah, NC.
Linnea is survived by: her husband Don of 63 years (January 22, 2019, would have marked their 64th wedding anniversary), her four children: Donald Michael Coblentz, Caryllynn Coblentz, JoAnne Coblentz Williams, and Elizabeth Frances Coblentz, her 6 grandchildren: Josh Yost and Kandi Yost, Brian Michael Coblentz and his wife Amy Coblentz, Michael Daniel Coblentz, Grayson Michael Coblentz, Danielle Linnea Williams , Karis Elizabeth Coblentz , Caden Edward Coblentz, and her five great grandchildren: Kayla Anne Coblentz, Kylie Brooke Coblentz, Hannah Yost, Camden Yost, and Sumter Yost. Along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins.