Linda Claire (Niver) Hanlon

NORTH CANAAN — Linda Claire (Niver) Hanlon, 69, of Granger Lane, died Oct. 1, 2011, at the Geer Nursing and Rehabilitation Center following a battle with cancer. She passed on with her loving family by her side. Linda was the wife of John Forbes Hanlon. They had been married for 52 years. Linda was born Nov. 24, 1941, in Ancram, the daughter of the late Myra Sheldon (Leach) and Harold Everett Niver.Linda graduated from Ro-Jan High School in Hillsdale. She began her employment in 1964 at the Becton Dickinson Company in North Canaan. She retired after 37 and a half years with the company. During her tenure at Becton Dickinson Linda held many positions, including machine operator, assistant supervisor and fork lift operator. She was also one of the first members of the North Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corp. She became a certified EMT in 1977 and was an active volunteer with the squad for 22 years. As in her work, she volunteered for every aspect where she could be the most effective and needed. After her retirement from Becton Dickinson, she was employed by her daughters at Freund’s Farm Market & Bakery and Lone Oak Campsites, both in East Canaan.In addition to her husband, Linda is survived by her five children, Vincent Hanlon and his wife, Michele, of Salisbury, Theresa Freund and her husband, Matthew, of East Canaan, Michael Hanlon and his wife, Tina, of Falls Village, Lisa Korth and her husband, Wilson, of Addison, Vt., and Jacolyn Brown and her husband, Barry, of East Canaan; her sister, Jean Curran of Churchville, N.Y.; her brothers, Kervin Niver of Pleasant Valley, N.Y., and Kermit Niver of Copake; and her 11 grandchildren. Linda was predeceased by her brother, Keith Niver.Funeral services will be held on Friday, Oct. 7, at 2 p.m. at the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home in North Canaan. Family and friends may call at the funeral home from 1 to 2 p.m. Following the service there will be a reception at 3 p.m. at the Freund’s Farm Market in East Canaan.Memorial donations may be sent to the North Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps, PO Box 178, North Canaan Canaan, CT 06018 in Linda’s memory or Salisbury Visiting Nurse Association Hospice, 30A Salmon Kill Road, Salisbury, CT 06068.