Dr. Linda Strong, Ed.D., MSN, RN, of Stratford, Connecticut, passed away peacefully at Bridgeport Hospital on October 6, 2026, at the age of 71, following complications of heart failure.

Born on May 6, 1955, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Linda was a lifelong Stratford resident and a dedicated nurse, educator, advocate, and community servant whose career spanned more than four decades. Her life's work reflected a deep commitment to improving the health and well-being of others and mentoring future generations of nurses.

Linda began her nursing education after volunteering as a candy striper in her preteen years. In 1976, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Bridgeport. During her final semester at the University of Bridgeport, she developed a lifelong passion for Public Health Nursing that ultimately shaped her professional career. In 1980, she earned her Master of Science in Nursing in Community/Public Health Nursing from The Catholic University of America.

After working as a community public health nurse and assuming brief teaching positions in Massachusetts and Montana, Linda joined the faculty of Sacred Heart University's nursing department in 1990. In 1996, she earned her EdD from Columbia University's Teachers College and became known as Dr. Strong. Dr. Strong became a respected and beloved educator who shaped the professional development of countless nursing students. She was known for her unwavering standards, passionate teaching, and genuine concern for the success of her students and colleagues. For more than three decades, she taught in the First Professional Degree program, the RN-BSN and RN-MSN programs, and graduate programs, including the Doctor of Nursing Practice. She developed and coordinated public health courses and curriculum, as well as clinical experiences, aligned with the University's mission. She helped support the transition of her homecare management course to an online format in 2002 to support nurses interested in returning to school with limited time to further their education. Dr. Strong enjoyed online teaching and subsequently transitioned her teaching to an online, forward-facing program.

Linda held many leadership roles, including Director of the RN-BSN and RN-MSN programs and interim program chairperson as the nursing program transitioned into a separate college within the University. In addition to nursing courses, she collaborated on interdisciplinary initiatives with various disciplines in the College of Health Professions and across the University.

Dr. Strong was also instrumental in creating the nursing pinning ceremony at Sacred Heart and wrote the pledge still used today. In the true spirit of the mission, she was known to personally purchase pins for students who couldn't afford one. She embedded many symbolic elements of nursing into the ceremony and wanted future generations to appreciate the historical perspective of the profession. This ceremony became one of her most cherished legacies.

Throughout her career, Linda made significant contributions to nursing education, public health, and community service. She founded and coordinated Sacred Heart University's Emergency Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) through the Department of Emergency Preparedness and Homeland Security and played a key role in developing partnerships that promoted health education and emergency preparedness. Dr. Strong procured $100,000 to train nearly 100 faculty, staff, and students at Sacred Heart University. Through her leadership, the MRC became an important university and community resource, providing support and services to area public health departments during disasters, epidemics, and other public health emergencies while also promoting a healthier community through outreach and preparedness initiatives. Today, the MRC remains an important part of the SHU community.

For many years, Dr. Strong also served as Co-Director of the Center for Health and Wellness, a collaborative initiative between Sacred Heart University and community partners in the Greater Bridgeport Area. This center was designed to address the unmet healthcare needs of vulnerable populations. Through this partnership, she developed, implemented, and patented "Aging with Grace" at St. Charles Church in Bridgeport to serve the elderly Latino population. After 12 years, the program was relocated to Hall Neighborhood House (HNH) in Bridgeport. Wednesdays became her clinical practice day, during which older adults received point-of-care testing, including blood pressure and glucose monitoring, as well as medication education. Dr. Strong mentored hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students in her clinical practice. The older adults she served became her second family, and as a gesture of appreciation, she often shared produce from her garden to encourage healthy lifestyles. In more recent years, she was instrumental in facilitating a partnership between HNH and Southwest Community Clinic to ensure that community members had access to medical and dental healthcare services.

Linda's commitment to service extended far beyond Connecticut. She traveled to South Dakota to provide community health care and support to Native American communities on Indian reservations, reflecting her lifelong dedication to caring for underserved and vulnerable populations.

Dr. Strong stayed current with evidence and research in her field to provide her students with the most up-to-date content and therapeutic modalities for nursing care. She published and co-authored numerous articles and became a renowned presenter at nursing conferences within and outside the United States. Her scholarly work in public health and emergency preparedness was well-known and recognized within the global nursing community. She received grant funding through internal and external sources to support her initiatives and research, including her emergency preparedness and work with vulnerable populations. Dr. Strong received numerous awards at the university, state, and national levels. Some of these awards include the AACN & John A. Hartford Award for Curriculum in Gerontologic Nursing, U.S. Public Health Service Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Volunteer Service, and the Sacred Heart University Joseph A. Grau Award

Visiting hours will be held on Friday October 16, 2026 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the Dennis & D’Arcy - Abriola & Kelemen Funeral Home, 2611 Main St. Stratford.

The Connecticut  Nurses Honor Guard will perform the "Nightingale Tribute" at 6:15p.m. in the funeral home. A funeral Service will follow at 6:30p.m.

To offer online condolences please visit: www.dennisanddarcy.com