Linda Mae DeLong

Linda Mae DeLong (Szalkay)

Linda Mae DeLong (Szalkay) was born on June 7, 1943, in Toledo, Ohio, to Julia and Stephen Szalkay. She graduated from Toledo Libbey High School in 1961. On July 14, 1962, she married the love of her life, Ralph DeLong, beginning a marriage that would span 50 years.

As her children grew older in the 1970s, Linda returned to the working world, beginning a career that would span many years in the medical field. She worked at Parkview Hospital before going on to work for Dr. Jablonski. She then spent the majority of her working years working for Dr. Hartnett, DDS, in Sylvania, Ohio, for nearly 20 years, until his retirement in 2000. Not yet ready to retire herself, Linda continued working part-time for Dr. Pero, DDS, and Dr. Glinka, DDS, in Maumee, Ohio, until she retired shortly after the passing of Ralph in 2012.

Linda was always one of her family's biggest supporters, proudly cheering on her children and grandchildren in their sporting endeavors. She loved being there for her family, celebrating their accomplishments and supporting them every step of the way.

Linda was also an avid shopper throughout her life. In her later years, she embraced the convenience of online shopping, allowing her to continue enjoying one of her favorite pastimes from the comfort of home. A special shout-out to Amazon for helping make that possible!

Linda was a member of St. Andrew's Methodist Church and volunteered at Crossgates Elementary School, where she gave her time in support of the school community.

In 2021, Linda relocated to Arizona, beginning a new chapter of her life while continuing to cherish the memories and family connections she had built over the years.

Linda is survived by her son, Greg DeLong, and her daughter, Gwenn DeLong-Bihn (Louie); her grandchildren, Braeden DeLong, Molly Ramirez (Dakotah), and Trent Hasenfratz (Kori); and her great-grandchildren, Bentley and Sutton, who brought another generation of love and joy to her family.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ralph DeLong; her father, Stephen Szalkay; her mother, Julia Kuehnle; and her stepfather, Carroll Kuehnle.

Linda will be laid to rest beside Ralph at the Chapel of Peace at Toledo Memorial Park in Sylvania, Ohio.

A Memorial Service will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites those who wish to honor Linda's memory to consider making a memorial donation to the American Cancer Society. Contributions can be made in her memory through the organization's memorial-giving program.

Memorial donations may be made through the American Cancer Society's website: https://www.cancer.org/donate/memorial-giving.html