Linda Cady Metarko, 85, of Wellsboro, PA, passed away at The Green Home in Wellsboro, on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease.
Linda, daughter of the late Kenneth and Esther (Stiger) Cady, was born in Blossburg, PA, and grew up in Mansfield. She graduated from Mansfield High School and earned her degree as a Registered Nurse from Geisinger School of Nursing in Danville, Pennsylvania in 1961. She was a well-respected surgical charge nurse at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hospital in Wellsboro. She was recently honored with the Florence Nightingale Award for 27 years as a nurse, and remained a nurse in spirit her entire life.
She had a lifelong passion for sunshine, flowers, gardening, birds, cats, and a clean house. She was frequently chosen as a safe haven by any random stray cat having kittens. Linda loved spending time with family, especially her grandchildren, and enjoyed family game nights. She had faith in God and loved singing hymns in the choir. She also enjoyed country music. Linda was known at the nursing home for her appetite for ice cream and bacon, as well as her sweet smile, easy disposition, and surprising humorous quips.
Linda is survived by her devoted husband of 64 years and the love of her life, Frederick, her children Lisa (David) Hutchinson of Bedford, Massachusetts and Michael (Beth) Metarko of Wake Forest, North Carolina, and four grandsons who brought such joy to her heart: Alexander and Andrew Hutchinson and Samuel and Theodore Metarko. She is also survived by her brother William (Bonnie) Cady of Sayre, Pennsylvania.
The family would like to thank the many people who cared for Linda with full hearts, offering her smiles, support, love and hair braiding through her final years, including her favorite doctor at Guthrie, caregiver Natalie Sweeney, and the excellent staffs of The Green Home and Carleton Senior Care. We would also like to thank Advocates for Alzheimer’s for the support and information they provided Fred and family during Linda’s final years, and our ever-supportive neighborhood friends who are a constant blessing.
Linda was a long-time participant in the original cohort of the Nurses’ Health Study and wished her body be donated to scientific research. A memorial service will be held at Carleton Funeral Home, Inc. www.carletonfh.com Wellsboro, PA at a later date. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory can be made to Susquehanna Health Foundation at Susquehannahealthfoundation.org or mail to 1001 Grampian Boulevard, Williamsport, PA 17701 (please designate Wellsboro Hospice in the comments), or to Penn College at Wellsboro, c/o The Penn College Foundation, 1 College Avenue, Williamsport, PA 17701 or online at pct.edu/give/donate (please add her name or Penn College at Wellsboro).
