Linda Irene Feldman

Linda Irene Feldman died peacefully in Hartford, CT, surrounded by family, on July 26, 2025. She was 83 years old. She is survived by five children—Alec (Hilary Wagner) Feldman, Peter Feldman, Dennis Feldman, Jonathan (Amber Davis) Feldman, and Jill (Vishwas Badami) Feldman—and her brother, Robert. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Jeffrey Feldman. Mom loved the water and the sun, animals of all kinds, helping others, learning new things, gardening, a raucous laugh, and a well-formed sentence.

She was born to Joseph and Gene Palatin in Havana, Cuba, on October 6, 1941, as they awaited passage to America in flight from Europe. The Palatins settled in Long Beach, NY. Linda attended Long Beach High School, where she met Jeffrey. They married in 1962, and had their first child, Alec, in 1964. A Siamese cat, the first of three for the family, perched on her belly throughout the pregnancy. Three more boys followed over the next eight years. In 1988, Linda and Jeff traveled to Peru to adopt their youngest child, Jill.

After studying English literature at Barnard College and earning a masters at Yale, Linda attended law school at the University of Connecticut, graduating in 1978. She began a career as a tax and compensation attorney. The work absorbed her, but she didn't find her true calling until 2002, when she shifted careers to become a court-appointed probate attorney for those facing involuntary commitment. Linda was on call for her clients seven days a week, and took a special interest in every one of them. Though she didn't need to, she continued this work until last year, when complications from diabetes made it impossible to carry on. 

Though always busy with her career, home and family were Linda's life. The house was abuzz with five children and their friends, often serving as the hub, and with a menagerie of animals over the years: from an early mistake with a monkey through Siameses and dogs, tropical fish, parakeets, cockatiels, and lovebirds. Later it was reptiles, including lizards and turtles. Mom spoke with them all.

She was the optimist of the family. She will be missed.