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Dear Trinh Family:
My name is Skye and I was a sister of Linda’s in Alpha Phi. There are no
cards, no words, nothing I can do or say that will ease the pain that you
must feel. What I can do is express to you my memory of Linda.
But first, let me say this: I have never liked eulogies or memorials. Those
given for others I have lost in my life have always seemed phony, with dozens
of people expressing how “perfect” the deceased was. I preferred to remember
the real person, however flawed.
And that is what amazes me about the
things
people have said about Linda. Not one word rings false. Not one testimony
seems phony or overblown. She really was that perfect. Not infallible or
unreachable, but a beautiful example of humanity at its best. The life
she led was unimpeachable, which makes the tragedy of its ending seem that
much more
senseless.
I first met Linda during sorority Rush when I was a junior and she a freshman.
I remember someone telling me that I “had to meet this girl Linda” because she,
like myself, was both a dedicated student and a varsity athlete at JHU. Among
the hundreds of girls I met that week, she was one of those who stood out. She
was poised and well-spoken, like many rushes, but underneath there was a sincerity
and a spark that made her special.
Linda could have had her pick of sororities, so we were honored when she chose to
become an Alpha Phi. In her time as a sister, she became a great leader and a
great friend to so many. I dealt with her often when she was the Director of
Finance because I have never had much money and I was always scraping together
payments for dues. With Linda, there was always a smile. She never made me feel
embarrassed or “less than” when I couldn’t pay. At formals and parties, she could
light up a room. Whether it was her schoolwork, her fashion sense or her rendition
of an 80s song out on the dance floor, Linda did it 100%. There were no shortcuts,
no excuses in her world. She held those around her to very high standards, but none
as high as those she imposed upon herself.
In Alpha Phi, we have a tradition called “Candle Passing.” At the end of each year,
the departing seniors gather with the rest of the sorority to say their goodbyes and
pass along everything from hugs and advices to t-shirts, teddy bears and a variety
of sentimental objects to the younger members of the sisterhood. This May would
have been Linda’s turn to Candle Pass.
The idea behind the ceremony is that once a girl is a sister, she will remain
a sister forever. When someone leaves the chapter, their flame does not go
out,
rather it is passed on through the generations. This is how it will be for
Linda in Alpha Phi. The perpetrator of this tragedy may have taken Linda’s
life, but they could never extinguish her light. She will live on in the
hearts of those who
had the privilege of knowing her and we will pass her memory along to all
the sisters yet to come: Linda Trinh (ZO^), an intelligent, athletic, beautiful,
caring,
dedicated, genuine, loyal, poised, witty woman who embodied all the ideals
that we hold dear.
Sincerely,
Skye McFarlane
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