Linda S. Mitteness, July 21, 1950 • November 19, 2022

t is with a heavy heart that we share news that Linda S. Mitteness, PhD, passed away November 19, 2022 in San Francisco, CA.
Linda was born July 21, 1950, in Benson to Gerhard and Marjorie Mitteness. She was baptized at Shepherd of the Hills Church in Swift Falls and was confirmed at Pilgrim Congregational Church in Benson. She then attended Benson Public School where she graduated in 1968 as valedictorian.
She attended the University of Minnesota and received a BA in Child Psychology.  In 1975, Linda graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a PhD in Human Development and Family Studies.
In 1977, she began work at the University of California San Francisco.  As a professor in the anthropology program she initially conducted research on the management of chronic illnesses among older people.  Her research interests in symptom management next focused on fatigue and a variety of other diseases including arthritis, diabetes, and management of below the knee amputations in veterans.  She then investigated social interactions among residents in nursing homes and was active in the Alzheimer’s Center at UCSF.  Her research was supported mainly by grants from various NIH institutes.
She taught courses in statistics and methods for doctoral students in the social sciences and developed courses in child development and the ethics of scientific research.  Linda was also a regular faculty participant in the UCSF School of Medicine’s Foundations of Patient Care course.  Later teaching activities mainly involved providing one-on-one tutorials on a range of dissertation topics with doctoral students and serving as an examiner on qualifying examinations and providing mentorship to post-doctoral scholars.
Linda was an Emeritus Professor of UCSF.  For six years she served as Chair of the Medical Anthropology program.  For 10 years she also served as Director of an NIA-supported post-doctoral program in the Medical Anthropology Program at UCSF.  She served on several Chancellor’s committees as well as UC system-wide committees.  An elected member of the Gerontological Society of America, Linda was also one of the founding members of the Social Gerontology group of the American Anthropology Association
She is survived by her wife Judith C. Barker, PhD, her mother Marjorie Mitteness of Benson, brother Gary Mitteness of Benson, brother Brad (and Teresa) Mitteness of Waseca, brother-in-law, Bruce Merriman of Kansas City, Kansas.  She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, Gerhard, and sister Joyce Merriman.
Linda was an active member and leader at St. John’s United Church of Christ in San Francisco.  In the new year, there will be a Celebration of Life at St. John’s.  It will also be on Zoom.  If you want to receive details via email; please send an email to office@sfstjohnsucc.org.