Recipients of this award must have these characteristics:

1.  Perseverance/relentlessness: Achieving things takes time and process. Linda taught us that Perseverance is being relentless about doing what needs to be done for as long as it takes.

2.  Organized.

3.  Dedicated to community

4.  Positive attitude

5.  Humility

6.  Kind to others

7. Says “yes” a lot

Requirements for this award:

1. Adult or child

2.  Don’t have to be an Onalaska citizen, but whatever you’ve done that you are receiving this award for must have impacted Onalaska.

3.  Nominated by a citizen of Onalaska

4.  Your accomplishments can’t be part of your job description.

5.  Large donations can’t “buy” this award.

6. Nothing political or controversial

This award will be delivered yearly, or as the deeds present themselves.

This award will be delivered yearly, or as the deeds present themselves.

Linda Renee O’Brien Lyche was born and raised in North Dakota

In the early years Linda lived in Fargo, ND, later as a freshman in high school her family moved to Minot, ND where she graduated in 1968. Following graduation, her parents moved to Jamestown and Linda went off to Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. It was while at Concordia her roommate introduced her to her future husband, who was attending Moorhead State College.

The remaining college years were spent at the University of North Dakota where she was happy to finish having graduated in three and half years in December of 1971, with a double major in Psychology and Spanish along with minors in Math and Secondary Education.

Five months after graduation, in May 1972, she married the guy she met as a freshman. In the time thereafter she worked in a local school until John graduated in May 1974. In July of 1974 the young couple moved to the Coulee Region where John took a job as a trainee in a regional bank that is today known as US Bank. Linda was so convinced that the move here was only temporary, that when the local Welcome Wagon appeared at the front door of their apartment, she thanked the visitors but told them that they should give the gifts and coupons to someone more needy, because she and her husband would be leaving town following his training program. As luck would have it, the bank upset that plan, by offering John a permanent position that ultimately set the stage for the rest of their lives.

Linda’s first job in the area was as a teacher of math at the LaCrescent High School. Later she moved on from the school district to begin a longer-term job with what is today known as Optical Fashions. As we fast forward to 1978 Linda became a first-time mother with the birth of Eric who was followed two years later with a move to Onalaska and the birth of a second little boy, Adam.

Like many young couples, Linda and her husband kept busy in the early years being involved in several volunteer organizations such as the Jaycees, the bi-centennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage, Linda teaching parenting classes and so many more. In 1982 the family was completed with the addition of baby girl named Jill.

Linda enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom with the three little people until she realized that when Jill went off to school that she needed to do more. It was then that she went back to school, gaining her Masters Degree in Psychology and later her specialist designation as a School Psychologist. It was also around this time that Linda became more deeply involved in her kids’ activities which included serving as a Den Mother for Cub Scouts and becoming the scheduler for the Onalaska Youth Hockey program. This included having the chance to get her hands dirty helping in the construction of the Onalaska Omni Center by tying rebar together for the laying of the concrete slabs that would later be the ice rinks. Linda had a passion for the education of kids and welcomed the chance to be a Gifted and Talented coordinator for the Onalaska schools. This would later be replaced by her taking a job as a School Psychologist in the Sparta School District. After several years she moved her employment closer to home and took on a similar role for the West Salem School District.

Since she reduced her travel time to get to work, she had more opportunity to become involved in other volunteer activities. It was then that she became even more deeply committed to the youth of the community. This included several different roles in the Onalaska PTO and in additional involvement in the after-school Logos activities of the Onalaska United Methodist Church. The youth programs allowed her the chance to chaperone several Mission Trips including to the West Virginia Appalachian Mountain area, the South Dakota Pine Ridge, and the Wyoming Wind River Indian reservations. During this same time frame, Linda and the rest of the family also became interested in learning more about cultures outside the United States. Consequently, the family ended up hosting five different long term exchange students.

Not one to sit around, Linda became extremely involved in the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) including several leadership roles as well as staying active in the Parent Support groups for show choir and several sports-oriented groups. She was invited to share her background and experience by joining the Family & Children’s Center board, later becoming its’ chair. This included among other tasks of lending a hand in the development and execution of the Roaring Ride and many other fund raisers. This naturally opened the doors to other opportunities for involvement some of which included:

•  The RSVP organization – including “Who will be smarter than a 5th grader” contestant
•  Board member of World Services of LaCrosse
•  The Salvation Army – Bell ringing for many years and organizing a team for the last ten years
•  The Greater LaCrosse United Way – various committees including co-chairing the annual campaign
•  A graduate of the Onalaska Citizens police Academy
•  Purchased and then donated the first two defibrillators for the Onalaska Police Department
•  Travelled with Rotary to India to aid in the immunization efforts to eradicate Polio
•  Became “First Mate” for the Annual Riverfest celebration in 2013, while at the same time chairing the United Way annual campaign

Linda has been blessed to feel gratitude from many organizations for her past deeds, a partial listing of some are shown below:

• The Salvation Army “Red Shield Community Service Award”
•  The “Outstanding Philanthropist” award from the Association of Fund-Raising Professionals
•  The “Diamond Eagle Award” from the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse
•  The United Way Campaign Chair award
•  The Bethany St. Joseph Corporation “Iverson Frecking Ecumenical Recognition” Award
•  The Viterbo University “St. John XXIII Distinguished Service Award”
•  The “Live United” award from the Great Rivers United Way
•  The Boys and Girls Club – “Wall of Fame” inductee
•  The YMCA “Ted Griffin Award’
•  Irish Fest – Family of the Year