Linda Fross

Two weeks before he retired, Linda Fross's husband died as a result of a heart attack. "It was Ralph's one and only heart attack," Linda said. "He was on a plane on his way to join me in Hilton Head. He was sixty-five." Linda's plans for retirement unexpectedly changed two years ago, but that hasn't stopped her from experiencing all that this life has to offer.

"I always knew I was a strong person, but I never knew how strong," Linda said speaking of her ability to bounce back. No doubt, Linda is a strong woman, both spiritually and literally. "Don't feel sorry for me. I've lived a full life and I'm going to continuing living," Linda said. "It was Ralph's time."
At age 35, Linda took up bodybuilding because her short-lived career as a marathon runner came to a screeching halt due to a five-year battle with a herniated disc. She only ran one race. "Apparently I ran fast, and wrong, all the way from Buffalo to Niagara Falls," Linda joked as she remembered her time of four hours and eight minutes.

However, years of bed rest did not deter Linda from future athletic endeavors. "We made bodybuilding into a family affair. We took the kids to events all over Ohio and Pennsylvania," Linda said speaking of her family's shared passion. In fact, Ralph helped come up with her three-minute musical routine. And she took two years of ballet classes with her daughter to help refine her bodybuilding moves.

Then at age 41, Linda discovered a lump in her breast, and life changed once again. Fortunately for Linda and her family, she was accepted in a university case study program for breast cancer. Three years of chemotherapy, as well as three years of the drug Tamoxifin, saved her life. However, chemotherapy tends to cause cartilage to weaken and as a result, Linda's knees were not as strong as they once were, which would be the reason she later turned to golf.

"Cancer brought to the forefront what's really important," Linda admitted. Knowing that life is precious, Linda and Ralph decided to go on cruises, get their pilot licenses, and play more golf. It was no surprise to those who knew Linda that she ended up club champion one year.

As soon as one obstacle blocks Linda's zest for living, she uncovers an opportunity to rise above it. She now walks an hour a day, which means she's hoofing it really fast. She works out three times a week at Breakthrough Fitness and she sings in the St. Andrew By-the-Sea United Methodist Church choir. Nowadays Linda can be found kayaking rather than golfing, and soon she will begin training for the 2011 National Senior Games to be held in Houston, Texas. Question: If Linda Fross were to qualify and then subsequently bring home a trophy, in which event will she most likely place? Answer: It will be in Track and Field, specifically, the shot put or discus throw.

Like many couples who retire on Hilton Head, the Frosses began coming to the island for vacation when their children were young. They started out parking their motorcoach at Outdoor World Resort and made the natural progression to a condominium before they chose a lot and built a home twelve years ago. Even though Ralph never made Hilton Head his full-time home, he gave his wife a lifetime of wonderful memories, one of which was a last shopping excursion together to Taffeta clothing store in Shelter Cove where Ralph spent oodles of money on Linda and the store clerks and customers thought they were newlyweds.

-Up Close-

Moved here from: Aurora, OH
Fun addiction: "Island Packet" Sudoku, including difficult Sunday puzzles
New favorite pastime: Shag dancing in Myrtle Beach
Married: 43 years to high school sweetheart, Ralph, now deceased
Children: Heidi (42), Brad (40), Greg (38)
Fascinated by: Paranormal shows on television
On her bucket list: Deep sea fishing, not for her wall, but for her freezer
Best advice: "Couples - make time for date night every week no matter what."