Former Woburn Middle and High School Teacher Passes Away at 68

The following is an obituary courtesy of Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home. 

Linda J. (Paulsen) Pouech

Linda J. (Paulsen) Pouech passed away at the Lahey Clinic on Wednesday, Dec. 11. The beloved wife of Joseph E. "Joe" Pouech, she was sixty eight years of age.

Born in Hartford, Connecticut, she was one of three children born to Richard and Deborah (Marion) Paulsen. Moving to Woburn shortly after her birth, she had always considered herself a lifelong resident of Woburn.

Raised in the home where her father was born here in Woburn, she attended Woburn Schools and was the Salutatorian, Class of 1963. Following high school, she continued her academic pursuits and graduated from Harwick College in New York with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Upon returning home, she began teaching at the Joyce Middle School, Kennedy Middle School, and the rest of the years at Woburn High School in Special Education, retiring in 2004. During that time she also achieved a Masters in Education from Boston State College. A very bright and articulate woman, Linda was very well respected amongst her colleagues and peers.

During the seventies she was introduced to Joe Pouech, to whom she has been devoted for over thirty three years. They continued to make their home in the Paulsen homestead, where they have remained. Linda's children were her greatest gifts in life. She devoted herself to them and all of their accomplishments and achievements over the years. When they were younger they all enjoyed very special times camping, be it here in MA or off to NH, VT, or Canada. In later years they had the wonderful enjoyment of boating during the summer months. "Sparkle Plenty" took them all on many journeys out in the Atlantic and up and down the sea coast they had a ball! In later years she and Joe travelled to many different states, countries, and continents.

Grandchildren began arriving and "Gram Bam" shared many, many special times with them, celebrating everything there was to celebrate. Always the teacher, she spent special times teaching them new and creative ways to accomplish many different things.

Gardening was always enjoyable and to reap the vegetables and herbs and add them to her gourmet dishes was always the ultimate. There truly was not anything that Linda did not creatively and officiously prepare to delight the palate of each meal.

Linda always remained active in the city. She had been extremely active in Hospice here in Woburn, volunteering many long hours to this very charitable cause and organization. She was also very active with the Woburn Historical Society, and often spent a few hours a week at the Library, belonging to their monthly book club. Linda also, for over the last twenty years, spent every Wednesday evening with her dear "biddies." This was a group of her dearest friends sharing time together doing something special together.

A very loving and supportive person, Linda has touched the lives of very many people. Be it through her church, hospice, or teaching, Linda has always gone above and beyond what was needed. Her kindness, outreach, and generosity to all is a wonderful legacy she has left to those whom she so loved.

In addition to her parents, Linda was predeceased by her brother, Alan W. Paulsen.

She is lovingly survived by her dear husband, Joseph E. Pouech, her children, Tara E. O’Brien Hebert and her husband Joel of Rye, NH, Brendan P. O’Brien and his wife Judy Chung O’Brien of Baltimore, MD, and Joseph E. Pouech of Woburn, her brother, Richard H. Paulsen and his wife Pamela of Woburn, her grandchildren, John and Morgan Hebert, and Sophie, Karis, and Camden O’Brien, and by her beloved cats Ollie and Gracie. 

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend a Funeral Service at the First Congregational Church, 322 Main Street, Woburn on Wednesday, December 18th at 10 a.m. Calling hours will be held at the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn on Tuesday from 3 to 7 p.m . Interment is private. Remembrances may be made in Linda’s memory to VNA Hospice Care, 100 Sylvan Road, G-500, Woburn, MA 01801.