It was her voice, with the slight Midwest cadence and Oklahoma lilt, that became my daily highlight. Reading the news on radio station 106.9, Linda Russin, owner, personalized the local airwaves and made us all feel at home. Hearing of her sudden passing last week, I looked back through my archives and remembered why she made me smile.
I once wrote about Linda, “Not often does a woman, who was named Rotarian of the Year two years ago, reads the Bible every day and is the new coordinator for Relay for Life, listen to Beck.” Linda was the most understated radio personality: no tattoos or piercings, a blonde coif, maybe her alma mater the University of Oklahoma’s logo somewhere. She had a quiet but infectious laugh. Linda was wholeheartedly a part of the community, whether raising money for charities, playing the music she enjoyed, alternative, or laughing at Britt Myers’ antics during a Chamber of Commerce meeting. She loved college football, OU of course, and her favorite TV show was “WKRP in Cincinnati,” haha. Radio hour with friend Trice Denny was the highlight of her week, and she claimed her autobiography would be called “Never Growing Old.”
I will miss her news clips on 106.9 more than anything; no one could mix news of a meteor landing and the score of the Conch baseball game like her. The community has lost a great voice as well.
