With great sadness, we announce on Saturday, April 15, 2024, our dear mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister, Linda Christine Dumont, was called home to be with Jesus in her heavenly home. She passed away surrounded by her loved ones after a courageous battle with cancer. Linda was born on November 24, 1944 to Jorgen and Rose Norgaard who farmed near Sunnybrook, Alberta. She graduated from Thorsby High School and attained her Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Alberta. Linda taught elementary school in Fort Rae, Inuvik, and Aklavik, N.W.T .before returning to Alberta to teach in Beaumont, Thorsby, and Edmonton. Linda and her first husband were blessed with three daughters; Freya, Angelique, and Naomi who were the light of her life.
At the age of forty-four, Linda had the strength and courage to start her life over again. With the love and support of her second husband Glen, Linda went to Grant McEwan Community College to study journalism. She became the editor of her own street newspaper, The Edmonton Street News (now Alberta Street News), which she published for 20 years. Linda travelled overseas and to the U.S., to attend street newspaper conferences.
Her heart was touched by the plight of the poor and homeless of the inner city. For years, she volunteered at the mission where she did food pick-ups and made endless pots of soup and sandwiches for the hungry. She was also the pastor who preached the Sunday night service on Jesus’ love for everyone, and held Bible studies.
Linda was selfless in her love for her family and anyone who needed her help. Her kind, serene, gentle nature belied her great inner strength, and she was a rock for her family and friends. Linda was the one that everyone turned to when they needed help or counselling of any kind. She was so generous, always giving and asking nothing in return. Linda was a light in a dark world, an example to follow, and a blessing to all who knew her. Her steadfast faith in a loving God was an inspiration to us all.
Linda received the Queen Elizabeth 2nd, Golden Anniversary Medal, and the Diamond Jubilee Medal for her years of volunteer work with the poor and marginalized of the inner city of Edmonton. In 2003 she was awarded the Project Ploughshares Peace award for the Alberta Street News and her work with the homeless.
Linda became a yoga teacher in 1973 and taught at the YMCA for 20 years, held yoga teacher training courses, posted yoga videos online and wrote two yoga books as well as books of poetry. As in every pursuit of passion that Linda took on, she mentored many new yoga teachers and her teaching methods have become the norm among her followers.
In 2016, she starred in a music video for the band from St. Albert, Paradise Motel (a song titled “High Water”). It was nominated for a music award.
Her latest endeavour was the formation of the Shattered Rainbows Creative Society, an organization that supports and encourages creativity for all persons, with an emphasis on the marginalized, homeless and the LGBTQ community. Her daughter, Freya, hopes to continue with this dream.
Linda’s father, Jorgen Norgaard, had been a fur trapper in the Nahanni valley for 12 years. Intrigued by his tales of the north country, she always wanted to see it for herself. At the age of 61, Linda realized her dream by going on a 10-day canoe trip down the Nahanni River, the same river he had travelled in the 1930’s.
Linda became a talented artist painting beautiful tigers, jungle cats, the lion and the lamb, angels, and lots of trees. Even as a senior, she was so full of hopes and plans for her next creative project and the paintings she wanted to paint. She painted several portraits on the tiles of the Homelessness Memorial Statue in downtown Edmonton. She was asked to stand up in the legislature in recognition of her contribution.
Linda enjoyed all of nature and her favorite place to be was walking in the trees on the farm, seeing the wild flowers, listening to the birds, and picking berries. She loved her beautiful cats and the family dog and looked forward to seeing all the wild animals living in perfect peace in heaven.
Linda was predeceased by her husband, Glen Dumont, her son Clausius Giroux, and her parents. She leaves to mourn, her three daughters Freya Giroux, Angelique Branston, and Naomi Giroux; grandsons Joshua Branston and Khayman Giroux; great grandchildren, Mika May and Kyler Branston all of Edmonton. She also leaves her brother Neil Norgaard (Mercy) of Calgary, and sisters, Joanne Benger of Entwhistle, Alberta, and Sharon Austin (Donald) of Musquash, New Brunswick, nephews, Barry Benger, Erik and Karl Norgaard, Christopher and Jonathan Austin, and niece Shyanne Austin-LeBlanc. Linda’s bright beautiful spirit will live on in the hearts and minds of all who knew her, a guiding light that will continue to illuminate our lives.