Linda McCauley

Linda Ann (Soete) McCauley, 74, passed away on May 10, 2024 in Sacramento, CA following a battle with dementia. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, sister, and friend to many.

Born on January 28, 1950, in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, to Marie (Allenbacher) and Bernard Soete. She was a graduate of Honesdale Catholic High School class of 1967 and Marywood University in Scranton, PA class of 1971 where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She was also on the Marywood tennis team.

A lifelong educator, she began her teaching career at Sidney Elementary School in Sidney, NY, and later spent two decades as a teacher at Cordova Gardens Elementary School in Rancho Cordova, CA (1995-2015). Her dedication to her students earned her the honor of being named WalMart Teacher of the Year in 2003.

In 1973, Linda married Joseph McCauley of Sidney, NY and they moved to Sacramento, CA where she and her family created countless special memories in their home on the American River. Linda was an avid nature lover. Every summer she returned to Honesdale and enjoyed visiting with friends and family, hiking, canoeing, and rafting on the Delaware River with her beloved brother David Soete. She also enjoyed collecting cut glass, researching her family’s genealogy, and was always working on fun projects for her students and grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her former spouse Joseph McCauley (d. 2015), and survived by her beloved children Catherine McCauley of San Francisco, CA, Karen Sidey (Grant Sidey) of Belmont, CA, and Mark McCauley of Rancho Cordova, CA. Her grandchildren, Greta and Jack Sidey, were the light of her life. Also surviving are her brother David Soete, and Aunt Helen (Allenbacher) Tenbus, both of Honesdale, PA; and first cousins Michael, James, Albert, Bernard and Larry Tenbus; Paulette Soete Dukerich, Deborah Soete Milliron, MaryAnn Soete Good; and Barbara Kelly Derrick. She was preceded in death by her first cousin Eileen Kelly Cook.

Linda was known to have a gentle and graceful spirit even up until her last days.

Linda’s service will be held at Hessling Murray Funeral Home, 428 Main Street, Honesdale on Monday July 8, 2024 at 11:00am, followed by interment of ashes at St. Mary Magdalen Cemetery. We invite all who knew and loved Linda to join us for funeral services to honor her memory.