Linda passed away peacefully in her Jaffrey, NH home on February 27, 2026 at the age of 90. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 60 years, Zaven Giragosian.

Born December 24, 1935 in Bronxville NY to Barbara Whittemore Kennedy and James Hugh Kennedy, Linda grew up in Chatham, NJ. During childhood she spent her summers at Goose Rocks Beach, ME where her maternal grandmother rented a home. She adored her older brother Tom and her parents.

Linda graduated from Wheaton College in 1958, majoring in History and English. She always extolled the virtues of a women’s college and cherished the lifelong friendships she made at Wheaton. As a college student, Linda spent a summer in Graz, Austria through the Experiment in International Living. She never forgot her host family, who ran a local bakery, and treasured memories of cycling out into the countryside each morning to deliver bread.

After graduation Linda moved with several college friends to a fourth-floor walk-up on the backside of Beacon Hill. She told her daughters that the only careers for women back then were either teaching or nursing. So Linda got her first teaching job at Abington Jr. High, MA. She carpooled to school every day with Zaven, a fellow teacher who lived across the river in Somerville. Their carpool friendship ended up in courtship and eventual marriage. Favorite early dates included golfing at the Fresh Pond Golf Course, candlepin bowling and eating at the Wursthaus, Harvard Square.

Linda and Zaven were married in August 1961 at the Holy Trinity Armenian Church of Boston.

Linda embraced the Armenian community, learning to cook Armenian cuisine with her mother-in-law as her mentor. She traveled to Armenia twice with her husband and family.

Linda and Zaven raised their family first in Arlington and then in Carlisle, MA. Linda was an avid nature lover. She loved being outdoors and introduced her family to such adventures as yearly White Mountain overnights at an AMC hut to taking the family camping across the USA and skiing during many a winter school vacation. For over 60 years, she spent summers at her family’s home on Isle Au Haut, ME. She loved the island community and the lasting friendships developed there.

Linda earned her Master’s in History from Boston University and held many teaching jobs throughout her career. She taught at Winchester High School, Green Acres Day School, Concord Montessori School, and Quinsigamond Community College. After her children were grown, Linda returned to school to obtain a Certificate in Technical Writing and was then hired by Digital Equipment Corporation. This was the 1980s when the tech world was taking off. She worked as a tech writer and public relations specialist with DEC until retiring in 1993.

In 1993 Linda and Zaven moved to her parents’ home in Jaffrey, NH, where they spent 28 joy-filled years together in the Monadnock region. She was involved in numerous community projects - ranging from volunteering with the Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce to teaching ESL in Keene to chairing the First Church in Jaffrey Annual Fair with her husband Zav.

Some of her favorite local activities included playing bridge (especially with the Monday afternoon bridge group), working with the Monadnock Garden Club, and weekly worship with members of the First Church in Jaffrey. She adored her Jaffrey neighborhood and community. Linda’s backyard view of Mount Monadnock was a daily tonic that gave her great joy. She loved gardening and reading. Linda had many artistic talents including photography, floral arrangements, rug hooking and knitting.

This obituary cannot do justice to all she accomplished in her life. She was fun, caring, curious, kind and incredibly uplifting. People, young and old, loved to be around Linda. She was a motivator and an includer. A determined person, when Linda set her mind to something, it was going to be accomplished. She remained engaged in life, right up to the end. Linda will be deeply missed, not only by her family, but also by the many communities she engaged with throughout her life.

Linda is survived by her three daughters: Lisa, Polly and Susan Giragosian, sons-in-law Dan Levison and Andy Brennan, #1 grandson James Levison, sisters-in-law Queenie Raphaelian and Joan Kennedy, many beloved nieces and nephews, and her miniature poodle, Roo.

Donations in Linda’s memory may be made to: the Jaffrey Food Pantry, 54 Main Street, Jaffrey NH 03452 and NH Audubon, 84 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301.

A Memorial Service celebrating her life will be held on Saturday May 2, 2026 at 11:00am at the First Church in Jaffrey, 14 Laban Ainsworth Way, Jaffrey, NH, 03452.