R.I.P Judge Linda Kersker

Linda Kersker passed away last evening in Cleveland Clinic after falling ill at a judicial fundraiser Tuesday night.

I had gotten to know Linda when she was on the School Board and I was doing the public education advocacy thing. She could have given my little group of community advocates a cold shoulder -- after all she was a School Board member and a big firm partner. But she welcomed us to the cause, offering help and encouragement as we did what we could.

She was all energy, flying in every direction. If you got her going on one of her passions, she would start talking a mile a minute, pausing only to congratulate a passing friend on a great (though unsuccessful) campaign.

She lent her passion and intelligence to the Akron School Board for 16 years at no small professional cost -- her firm could not take cases involving APS during that time. Her community service continued this past spring when Gov. Strickland appointed her to one of the vacant seats on the Municipal Court. Sadly she was able to enjoy the new chapter only briefly.

Thoughts and prayers to her friends and family.