Linda M. (Flodin) Paquin, 79, of Tewksbury, passed away on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at Lowell General Hospital in Lowell, surrounded by those who loved her.
Born in Reading, Massachusetts, on January 2, 1947, Linda was the daughter of the late Edwin and Janet Flodin. She grew up in Reading and graduated from Reading High School with the Class of 1964.
In 1971, Linda married the love of her life, Charles R. Paquin, her "Prince Charming," and together they shared 55 beautiful years of marriage. They began their life together in Andover before moving to Tewksbury, where they raised their family and made their home for the next 48 years. Through all of life's seasons, Charlie remained by her side with a warm smile, endless support, and endless love.
If there was one thing that defined Linda, it was the way she loved people.
To Linda, family was never simply about blood or last names. Family was anyone who needed love, a meal, a place to stay, a listening ear, or somewhere they could feel safe and wanted. Her door was always open, and somehow, no matter how full the house might have been, Linda always found room for one more.
Linda was a devoted mother to her three sons, but her mothering extended far beyond the children she gave birth to. For many years, she opened her home to foster children, welcoming them into her family during times when they needed love and stability most. She didn't see these children as temporary guests in her home. She loved them, cared for them, worried about them, and made sure they knew they mattered.
That was simply Linda.
She took people in. She fed them. She cared for them. She worried about them. She loved them. She never needed a reason to make someone part of her family. If you needed her, there was a place for you.
For the many children who came through her door over the years, Linda gave much more than a roof over their heads. She gave them the feeling of being wanted and accepted. She gave them a place at the table and a place in her heart. Some stayed for a short time and others for longer, but each left having known Linda's love.
Linda also loved to travel and treasured the memories made along the way. She loved summer days at Salisbury Beach, but Aruba held an especially treasured place in her heart and became her happy place. Still, no beach or destination could compete with what Linda loved most—having her family together.
A full house made Linda happy. She loved knowing that the people she cared about were all together under one roof, talking, laughing, eating, and simply being with one another. Those were the moments that meant everything to her.
Linda is survived by her beloved husband and Prince Charming of 55 years, Charles R. Paquin of Tewksbury; her three sons, Michael Paquin and his longtime partner Eva Adrian of Cortland, New York, Jeffrey Paquin and his wife Mable of Sullivan, Missouri, and Matthew Paquin and his best friend, Beth Villani, of Tewksbury, Massachusetts; and her six grandchildren, Zoe, Chase, Erin, Alex, Madelyn, and Joseph.
She is also survived by her brother, Ralph Flodin and his wife Donna of Alton Bay, New Hampshire; her sister, Jean Partridge of Cape Elizabeth, Maine; as well as several nieces and nephews.
It is impossible to measure Linda's life simply by the years she lived or even by the names that can fit into an obituary. Her family was much bigger than that.
Her legacy lives in her sons and grandchildren, in the foster children she held close when they needed someone, and in every person who walked through her door and discovered that there was a place for them. It lives in the people who will remember being fed at her table, welcomed into her home, worried about, cared for, and loved simply because that was who Linda was.
Linda spent her life making room for others.
Room in her home.
Room at her table.
Room in her family.
And, most of all, room in her heart.
Those who loved Linda will miss her presence more than words can express, but the love she gave so freely did not leave with her. It remains in every person fortunate enough to have received it.
And that may be the most beautiful legacy a person can leave behind.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Tewksbury Funeral Home, 1 Dewey Street, Tewksbury, Massachusetts 01876.