Linda Mae Johanson

Linda Mae Johanson passed away peacefully on Friday, November 4th after a brief battle with cancer. 

Linda, born to Hilma and Willard “Duke” Johanson, spent her childhood in Danby, NY with her eight brothers and sisters. A gifted artist, she sketched from a young age, later taking up oil painting. She took Russian at Ithaca High School and graduated from Cornell University in 1969 with a double major in English and Romance Languages. After college, Linda translated the papers of the Marquis de Lafayette (published in three volumes), traveling to France to conduct her research.

Linda was the Managing Editor of Administrative Science Quarterly—a premiere journal on organizational studies published by the Cornell Business School—for thirty-nine years. Under her leadership, ASQ was named one of the “Top 45 Research Journals” by the Financial Times. “Half the field learned how to write by working with Linda at ASQ,” close friend and Harvard Business School professor Kathleen McGinn said. It was important to Linda to foster a journal where new scholars could publish their work, and she went to great lengths to mentor them. Later, she traveled internationally teaching academic writing to junior faculty at universities around the world.

Linda strived to better the lives of those around her: when Linda had her second child in 1980, she co-founded the Infant Daycare Center, the first infant daycare center in Ithaca. She later served as the board chair of the Women’s Opportunity Center (WOC) which helped women enter the workforce after a divorce, separation, or widowhood. WOC now provides work-readiness programs for those facing barriers to gaining or retaining employment.  

At home, Linda’s worn oak table was a gathering place for countless friends and family over the years; she had an “open door” and “open fridge” policy, and her lemon meringue pies were legendary. Married to Alan Pike (deceased) for twenty-five years, Linda moved to the Fall Creek neighborhood in 1992 where she found deep community and joy. In her parenting, she fostered musical talent in all three of her children and never missed a soccer game. She loved Roy Orbison and the Rolling Stones, Mozart and Bach. In recent years, she took great pleasure in an extended spring trip to Italy and long walks with her partner, Jim Jenkins, where they kept watch over osprey nests and beaver dams.

Linda is survived by her daughters Kirsten (Tobias Tillemans) Pike of Hau’ula, Hawaii; Signe Pike of Charleston, SC; and Murielle Johanson of Ithaca, NY; her grandchildren Asa Pike, and Haven and Kaisa Tillemans; her loving partner Jim Jenkins, as well as her sister Jeannie (Ben) Nobles, and brothers Roger (Darlene) Johanson, and Harold (Ellen) Johanson and her many beloved friends and extended family members.

A “Celebration of Life” will take place June 24, 2023, in Ithaca, NY.

Linda donated generously to myriad organizations each year. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to a charity of your choice in Linda’s memory.

Online condolences may be made to Linda’s family at www.bangsfuneralhome.com.

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