Linda Fenton Klockner

Of Sherborn, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 30, 2019, with her daughter and husband by her side.  She was the loving mother of Leah K. Byrnes and the beloved wife of James D. Byrnes.

Linda was born on October 27, 1953, to Joseph Steinert Klockner and Doris Fenton Klockner, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey.  When she was just two years old, the family moved to Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, where Linda attended school from kindergarten through high school.  At MLHS, Linda was a member of the National Honor Society, a member of Blue “Danish” in the Girls Athletic Association, and a Varsity Cheerleader.  She went on to graduate from the University of New Hampshire with a degree in History and Elementary Education and then earned her master’s degree in Mass Communication from Boston University.  

Linda was a talented competitive swimmer and avid tennis fan.  Even after moving to Boston following college, she cherished memories of summer vacations at the Jersey shore and at her grandparents’ cottage in West Gilgo, Long Island.  Linda also enjoyed spending time near the ocean in Hutchinson Island, Florida, where her parents retired.

Linda had a long and successful career in magazine publishing, and spent over twenty years as the Marketing Communications Director at SAIL before moving to The Pohly Company as Director of Marketing and then to CFO Publications as Research Operations Director.  At SAIL, she worked with a group of colleagues who shared her love of sailing as well as the collaborative process of publishing and promoting a unique, innovative magazine. 

Linda was very rational in her approach to problem-solving, and always believed there was a way to work through difficulties.  Her attention to detail was notorious.  She was a woman of deep integrity, fierce loyalty, and grace.  Linda was passionately devoted to her family and managed the secret of successfully balancing her professional and personal life.  She maintained lifelong friendships with classmates from Mountain Lakes High School.  She was also an accomplished ceramicist and often made gifts of beautifully glazed objects and bowls to her family and friends.  She has been a faithful member of the Pilgrim Church in Sherborn for 20 years.

Above all her professional accomplishments, Linda was dedicated to her daughter Leah and husband Jim. As a trio, they had many sailing adventures in Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound on their annual trips to the Islands. Linda was part of a large extended family of Klockner relatives, all of whom frequently gathered for holidays, birthdays, and weddings.  She was a special aunt of many nephews and nieces as well as great-nephews and great-nieces, and her knack for finding just the right gifts for Christmas and birthdays was renown.

Linda is survived by her husband James Daniel Byrnes and her daughter Leah Klockner Byrnes, and by her siblings and their spouses including Christina and Jock West of Portsmouth RI, Joseph Klockner Jr. and Ginny Myers of Takoma Park MD, Karen M. Klockner and Dr. Fred Alexander of Ridgewood NJ, David Klockner and Kristina Lynn Klockner of Marlboro NJ.  She was also the sister-in-law of Lorraine and John Puleo of Braintree MA and Nancy and Thomas Jackson of Braintree MA.  She is survived by fifteen nieces and nephews and eleven great-nieces and nephews. 

A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 15, 2019, at 1:00PM at Pilgrim Church, Sherborn MA.  A graveside ceremony at Pine Hill Cemetery, Sherborn MA, will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to The Missions (Hunger) Fund at Pilgrim Church, 25 South Main Street, Sherborn MA 01770.

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