Linda Salem

April 19, 1950-May 11, 2026

In the end, a life is often described by the years the life spanned, but, no matter the distance between the years, the dash is what tells the story.

Between these two dates, Linda Florence (Brown) Salem, built a beautiful life that she loved and that brought her joy.

Linda was born in Springfield, MA to Joseph G. Brown and Helen (Fleming) Brown and there she grew up alongside her brother, Richard Brown (now of Westfield, MA and married to Esther Brown), and her sister, Kathy (Brown) Melikian.

Linda received her Associate’s Degree from Springfield College in Computer Information. The woman whose most used phrase was, “Damn, this phone!” was a Computer’s Major.

Linda married the love of her life, Samuel A. Salem, Jr. (of Grafton, MA), and they were inseparable from when they met in 1971 until she took her last breath. They did everything together. They vacationed and stayed home, they worked and they retired, they even went through cancer. They lived. And they did it all together, usually while laughing. They loved just being together and enjoying life.

Linda and Sam raised two children together, Samuel A. Salem, III (now of Fort Worth, TX and married to Taylor Salem) and Kaitlyn A. (Salem) Martin (now of Auburn, MA and married to Sean Martin). Linda loved being their mom. She was at every baseball game, basketball game, track and cross country meet. She stayed up late sewing costumes and helping with school projects. Linda never missed a thing, but the beginnings. Without fail, she was late every single time, but she was there and she was her children’s biggest supporter.

The only thing Linda loved more than being a mom was being a mémé. She was the best mémé. She loved all five of her grandchildren with all of her heart and enjoyed spending time with each of them: Noah, Kara, and Jordan Salem, and Riley Martin. She was so proud of every accomplishment and milestone and saw all of her love in them. Now she is without a doubt snuggling with her grandson Brady Martin in heaven.

Later in life, Linda discovered that she had a natural talent for art and she taught herself to paint. She loved painting beautiful canvases for her friends and family. Linda especially loved sharing the experience of creating art with her grandchildren.

Linda’s favorite place to be was either at home or at the beach. In the earlier days, she and Sam could be found in Chatham every summer with the family. In the later years, they loved their day or weekend trips to Ogunquit, ME. Visits to the rock beaches in Newport were some of her favorites as well as their stays in Florida. When she was at home, she loved to just be with the people she loved in the home she loved. Cooking, baking, gardening, and interior design are just a few more talents that she honed over a lifetime in Grafton. Throughout her life, Linda had friends who felt like sisters: Susan, Cindy, Moira and sisters-in-law who became best friends: Sandy Salem and Alberta (Salem) Milhem.

Linda Salem loved and was loved. She was a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, a daughter, and a friend.

At 76 years old and after 8 long years fighting cancer, she fell asleep at home with family by her side.

Funeral services will be held at the convenience of the family. Memorial remembrance in her name can be made to: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA. 02284 or via dana-farber.org/gift. The MERCADANTE FUNERAL HOME & CHAPEL, 370 Plantation St., Worcester is honored to assist the family with arrangements.