Alison G. Linsley ’88 died on January 12, 2019, in Windham, Maine. 

(The following was published in the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram on January 19, 2019)

Alison Graham Linsley, 52, passed away of natural causes on January 12, 2019. She was born on August 31, 1966, the daughter of Richard Stoddart and Nancy Miller.

Alison grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio, and was a graduate of Hathaway Brown School. Following high school, she received her bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College, graduating magna cum laude with a double major in classics and economics. She understandably fell in love with the beauty of Maine while being a student at Bowdoin and chose to call Maine her home.

Following her education, Alison opened Jorgensen’s Café in Waterville where she sold gourmet goods for several years. She later began a successful career in marketing and was a founding member of BlueTarp in Portland, before her declining health.

Alison was a passionate person who put her heart into everything she accomplished. Her vibrant personality sparkled to all those who knew her. Alison was a lover of the outdoors and enjoyed kayaking, hiking, skiing, and snowshoeing. She particularly enjoyed peaceful time spent on the Presumpscot River. Alison was an advocate for women’s rights, protecting the environment, and domestic violence prevention. Although miles apart, she kept in constant contact with her family, who loved her dearly.

Alison is survived by her mother, Nancy Miller and her husband, Ralph Dirksen of Plantation, Fla.; brothers, Ben Stoddart and his wife, Jandy of Weston, Fla., and Rich Stoddart and his wife, Lee Anne of Winnetka, Ill.; nieces, Ashleigh McBratney and her husband, Ben of Northfield, Ill., Samantha Stoddart of Winnetka, Ill., Gwen Ferguson of Ashland, Ohio, and nephew, Joseph Stoddart of Weston, Fla.; former husband, Jim Linsley of Maine; dear friends, Jim and Darci Crick of Windham; and longtime Bowdoin classmate and friend, Joanna Leary of Maine.

Alison was predeceased by her father, Richard Stoddart; and her beloved dog, Belle.