It is with a heavy heart and an abundance of fond memories that we share the sad news Linda Hinshaw (affectionately known as Miz Linda) passed away last weekend. Our collective Strawberry heart goes out to Linda’s family and wider circle of friends.
Miz Linda first attended Strawberry in 1984 as a member of the Gate crew with Ricky Chicky and her family friend, Caroline Gann. Later on, she was assigned to traffic management and stationed at the road to Birch Lake for the Monday exit. At some point along the way, Miz Linda brought co-worker Stan Stratton to Strawberry, who became a lifelong friend and festival campmate. When Strawberry moved to the Nevada County Fairgrounds in 2014, Linda and Stan joined the Camping Assistance crew, where they worked together with friends Barry (Big Bear) and Maline Hazle, helping campers find their spots and parking RVs.
Anyone who goes way back with Strawberry has a fun story about hanging with Miz Linda. One year, Linda saved up all her used purple lighters so she could plant them in and around Stan’s van throughout the festival. There was at least one epic night/morning spent at Rock in the Road with JD. Or when Linda helped serve food to firefighters when the Fall Festival was postponed, and Camp Mather became a fire camp for the ‘87 Stanislaus Complex Fire. There was also the time when Strawberry crews arrived at Camp Mather to find there were no mattresses in any of the cabins. When the mattresses were delivered the day before the gates opened, Linda, Ranger Roger, Ricky Chicky, Steve, Eloy, Mitch, and a few others distributed mattresses into the wee hours of the morning. Reportedly, not one of them complained.
Miz Linda was an absolute force of nature who was very passionate about the people and things she loved. Many Strawberrians will remember Linda as stylish and rugged, wearing her signature black cowgirl hat, as well as the years when a whip was part of the ensemble. We will never forget Miz Linda’s enthusiastic support of Strawberry, how she would whoop and cheer at the staff meetings on Wednesday night, and what that meant to us when times were tough. She will be loved, missed, and remembered as a cherished part of the Strawberry community.
Rest in peace, dear friend. We hope you are having fun with Stan, Big Bear, and many others at the big Strawberry in the sky. <3<3<3
