OAK HILL -- Linda Walton, longtime journalist who worked as a freelance journalist covering the city of Oak Hill for many years died at her home Saturday after suffering heart failure. She was 66.
Walton, an admitted heavy smoker, was a fixture at Oak Hill city meetings as a freelance reporter for the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Even though the Daytona Beach newspaper closed its New Smyrna Beach bureau in June, Walton continued filing meetings stories through her laptop and when she couldn't attend meetings because of deteriorating health, followed them up with phone calls and e-mails, city officials said.
"She will be missed -- she was almost always at city meetings," Oak Hill Police Chief Guy Grasso said.
Mayor Darla Lauer echoed those sentiments, adding, "Linda was more than just a wonderful person. She was always so kind and considerate to us that we always welcomed seeing her at every opportunity in the city."
Walton graduated in 1960 from the of New Smyrna Live Oak High School and attended the University of Florida Journalism School in Gainesville. According to information provided to the Settle-Wilder Funeral Home, Walton's career in journalism spanned 45 years, starting with the Daytona News-Journal office in Daytona Beach until the local branch in New Smyrna Beach opened where she was a staff writer for the local area. She moved to the former Florida Today newspaper office in New Smyrna Beach as bureau chief until that office office closed in 1977. She then became the publishing editor of Cats Magazine in the Port Orange office where she worked for 10 years. After leaving the magazine, Walton became a a freelance writer with the News-Journal, covering Oak Hill and other feature stories in New Smyrna Beach and Edgewater.
Walton is survived by her husband of 45 years, Larry Hobbs Walton; her son, Scott Walton; grandson, Sam Walton; sister, Donna Athearn and brother-in-law, Marlin Athearn. The family is asking that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humane Society, 1200 Glencoe Road, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168. A memorial service is planned 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday at the home of her younger sister, Donna Athearn, 684 Corbin Park Road. Condolences may be sent to www.settlewilderfuneralhome.com.