Linda Scalza, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on July 13, 2026.
 
Born on August 27, 1947, in New York, Linda was the daughter of Anthony and Marie Bassi and sister of Eugene Bassi. Raised in the Bronx, she grew up with a rich sense of heritage and an enduring devotion to family and belonging. She was a woman of keen intelligence and quick wit, animated by a remarkable vivacity that made her presence immediately felt. That warmth and vitality found their fullest expression in the life she built around those she loved.
 
Family remained at the center of her world. Proud of her Italian heritage, Linda took great joy in cooking for a house full of family and friends. Her gatherings were often loud and bustling, filled with laughter, lively conversation, and the comforting aroma of food prepared with love. Around her table, even an ordinary evening could become a lasting memory. Her care was felt not only in all she did for others, but in the closeness she created among them.
 
That gift for connection shaped both her home and her life’s work. For nearly twenty years, Linda taught preschool with the City of El Paso Parks and Recreation, welcoming generations of children with warmth and care. The place she held in their lives often endured long after they left her classroom. Years later, former students would return with children of their own, still remembering the teacher who had made them feel seen and loved. Even after retiring, Linda volunteered at Richardson Middle School for eight years, continuing to give her time and heart to the community she had long served.
 
Her interest in people extended naturally into an appreciation for the wider world. She approached life with wholehearted enthusiasm, eager to experience all that it offered. Linda traveled whenever she could, valued culture and beauty, and found great pleasure in the arts. Her involvement in the local theatre community, particularly with Viva! El Paso, brought her great joy. Linda loved both the performances and the fulfillment of working behind the scenes to bring them to life.
 
Linda’s spirit lives on through her husband, Joseph; their children, Theresa and Anthony; her beloved grandchildren, Kyle, McKenzie, and Joey; their spouses; and the many friends whose lives were enriched by knowing her. She will remain present in the family she nurtured, the generations she taught, and the bonds of those she brought together.