Linda Buckingham

Linda Faye Buckingham, 72, passed away on Saturday July 14. She is preceded by her husband, Albert Buckingham. She is survived by her son, Roddy (Heather), her brothers, Tony (Linda) and Donnie (Mary Ann), her sister, Cathy (Al) and her grandchildren, Sciana, Thea, Barrett, Chance, Reece, and Camrin, and nieces, Erin and Kimberly (Payton) and great nephews and niece, Jayden, Eli, and Olivia.
She was a daughter, sister, mother, aunt, grandmother and friend to so many people. If you agree with the butterfly effect, then her influence will be felt for generations to come.
She was born in Rome, Georgia to Betty Leslie (Hayno) on June 13th, 1946. When Linda was 16, she left the slow country way of life, and went to Los Angeles, California. She started out working in a beautician's boutique, as well as working in the Hugh Heffner's Playboy clubs as a bunny cocktail waitress, and nothing more. On a side note for those who knew her husband, Al, knew he had an eyelid that wouldn't work. After they got married, he and I found a poster of her standing next to a tree posing in her playboy outfit. That was the only time I saw it open. She would do this for several years until she became pregnant. She decided that that cutting hair was a better environment for her child, so much so, that even at present I fall asleep when a hair dryer is turned on.
She would move back to the country in Mississippi in 1980. This would be a very full decade, with her occupations. She would be a bartender, bail bondsman, bounty hunter, and police officer. She made her way back to Jehovah in the early 90's. After finding and marrying Albert, she would spend the next 20 years as a property manager. When Al developed Alzheimer's, she retired and stayed home for the next 5 years to care for him. He would pass away April 7th, 2018.
As some of you know, a single parent is one of the hardest non-paying jobs there is. It's not just an 8 to 5 pickup check, see you next week job, but a 24-hour mother or father who takes care of EVERYTHING! She would often say throughout the years "I'm surprised you weren't the most confused little boy while growing up". In truth I was, but I never told her. She had enough on her plate to deal with. She did the best she could with what she had. During her adrenalin driven years, of her policing and criminal chasing, she would always have stories to tell. I looked forward to hearing them. I'm sure that's why I went into medicine.
Let this be a reminder too, to never leave a day without closure. I thought I had more time. Now I am guilt-ridden for not telling her a few things.
She left life as she began... hard headed, stubborn, and kicking all the way to the end. The hospital staff loved her and her unmovable personality. It always made me feel like they really cared at work. I can be walking through a section, someone would pop out and say "how's your mom? Tell her blaa blaa said hi". She was loved by so many. With such a colorful life, she was able to touch so many different varieties of people. One will never say that she didn't live life to the fullest.