Remembering Sally Linn, DTM

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August 16, 2013December 4, 2017
in Memorial

Our Toastmasters universe recently lost a shining star when Distinguished Toastmaster Sally Linn passed away August 15th.  Sally joined our Toastmasters family in March 2005 as a Charter Member of “Speaking With Class” in District 25.  If I could describe her first year in one word, it would be “whirlwind”.

In just her first year as a Toastmaster:

  • Sally served as her club’s first Vice President of Education.
  • She was so impressed with her first Toastmasters Leadership Institute, she attended additional sessions.
  • Within months of joining Toastmasters, that spring she attended her first District Conference.  That would be the first of many, igniting in Sally a love for attending District Conferences and International Conventions.
  • That spring she attended Contest Judges training, which she applied that fall when she judged 10 Area Speech Contests.
  • She attended and helped at the 2005 District 25 Fall Conference.
  • She earned her CC and CL awards.
  • She was elected President of Speaking With Class.

All of that happened in less than one year.  Is it any wonder Sally was selected as District 25’s “Rookie of the Year” for 2005?

Sally and my paths crossed a lot in Toastmasters: serving together in various District 25 leadership roles, Judging and Chief Judging speech contests, sharing experiences at District Conferences in both Districts 25 and 50, helping at the 2007 Region III Toastmasters Conference, and most recently our time together in the Dallas Park Central Toastmasters Club.

As a passionate advocate for Toastmasters, Sally touched the lives of many Toastmasters throughout Districts 25 and 50.  She touched me.  Although her health was deteriorating, she was a fighter to the end.  She was a coach, a mentor, a helper, a role model to so many Toastmasters.  Perhaps most importantly, she was a friend.  Our Toastmasters universe was a better place for her having been in it.

Thank you Sally Linn DTM, you will be missed!!

Rick Sharon, DTM
Keller Communicators Toastmasters
Club# 621025, District 25