SACO – Linda Lou (Soucy) Worster, of Saco, passed away on April 18, 2025 at the age of 77.

The only child of “Red” and Lorraine Soucy, she was a lifelong Maine resident who grew up in Saco and attended Thornton Academy. After high school, she headed to the University of Maine in Orono to begin pursuing a career in Education. After graduating, she went on to receive a master’s degree in Early Childhood Development from UNH and later in her career a Literary Specialist Certificate from Plymouth State University.

Linda’s capacity and passion for learning and teaching were boundless, as was her dedication to students and fellow educators. Her encouragement to others was heartfelt and contagious. She was passionate about helping kids develop a lifelong love of reading. In the 1970s she co-founded her own nursery school called The Growing Room, in Berwick.

She was a pillar of the community for several years, serving as Girl Scout leader and secretary of the Berwick United Methodist Church before moving to Wells in the early 1980s. She is fondly remembered by her many students and fellow educators in South Berwick, and as the reading specialist in both the Saco and Westbrook school systems.

Outside the classroom, Linda found joy in reading, quilting, baking everything from wedding cakes to her famous Whoopie pies and creating scrapbooks chronicling family history and events. She was also an avid race fan and enthusiastically organized trips to the racetrack with her husband and family. She also loved Red Sox and Sea Dogs baseball, especially attending games. Linda loved her family above all and leaped into action whenever they needed help and support.

After suffering a stroke during life-saving surgery in 2018, Linda was left without the ability to communicate and struggled with aphasia, seizures and dementia for the rest of her life.

Linda is survived by her husband of 56 years, Philip Worster of Portland; son, Collin of Los Angeles, Calif., daughter, Kelly and her partner, Jeff Ryan of Parsonsfield.

Linda’s memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, May 24, at the Saco Cornerstone United Methodist Church. Following her burial at Laurel Hill Cemetery, there will be a reception back at the church.

The family extends special thanks to the staff of Compassus Hospice and Springbrook Center of Westbrook, especially Mary Ridge, who provided Linda with an exceptional level of skilled care and emotional support for the past four years.

To honor Linda’s commitment to youth literacy, please donate to your local library’s children’s section in her name.