Linda S. Iseley, 58, of Raleigh, NC, passed away at home surrounded by her family during the early hours of the morning on Friday, June 12, 2020. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer diagnosed in early 2019.

Born November 22, 1961 in Washington D.C. to Martin G. (Jerry) and Carol Ray Seipel, Linda Sue Seipel grew up in nearby Silver Spring, Maryland, where she graduated valedictorian of her high school. Having been accepted earlier in the spring, Linda intended to attend Duke University in the fall of 1979. After a campus visit, she saw the light and spent her college years as a Johnston Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she met Barry A. Iseley. Linda graduated at the top of her class once again, notwithstanding continual distractions from her future husband.

After graduating in 1983, Linda and Barry moved to New York City to begin careers in the financial services industry. After gaining experience in structured asset finance at Irving Trust (now part of Bank of New York Mellon) and American Reinsurance (a subsidiary of Aetna) Linda joined Financial Security Assurance in 1987. After her third promotion in as many years, Linda was made the youngest Managing Director at the firm in 1990.

Securitization was at the cutting edge of financial engineering in the late 1980s, proving to be the perfect space for a brilliant young woman to make her mark. Linda’s combination of superior communication skills, technical excellence, astounding productivity and strong work ethic was appreciated by clients, coworkers and industry players worldwide. It was rare for a woman in her 20s to present industry trends to an audience of 500 in the Waldorf Astoria ballroom. Not only was she a recognized leader in the new area of finance, but as many true professionals do, she made it look easy.

Linda had a passion for renovating antique houses. After the one-bedroom apartment (Union City), came the row house (Jersey City), then the detached house (Weehawken, still no off-street parking). She and her husband renovated these properties doing much of the work themselves on weekends. These towns were all on the New Jersey side of the Hudson River allowing for a quick commute to their Manhattan offices. In 1990, contemplating the next phase of their lives, Linda and Barry moved to Mamaroneck, NY purchasing a larger house built in 1847. Renovation over many years was a labor of love. Friends and family enjoyed Linda’s legendary hospitality for gatherings, large and small.

Now settled in the suburbs, Linda’s educational and professional excellence was preparation for her life’s most important work, raising her two sons, Eric Winston Iseley, born in 1993, and Jackson Montgomery (Jack) Iseley, born in 1996. Having already reduced her schedule at FSA to part-time after the birth of Jack, Linda retired in 1999 to focus all her attention and efforts on her family.

In 2002, Linda and Barry moved back to North Carolina shortly before Eric started 3rd grade and Jack started kindergarten. Appreciating the transformative power of education, Linda was heavily involved in her children’s school experience. Both Eric and Jack graduated from Ravenscroft, an independent school in Raleigh. Eric graduated from Appalachian State University and The University of Hartford where he received his Master’s degree in Organizational Psychology. Jack graduated from The University of South Carolina with a double major in finance and accounting. Eric works as a Financial Planner for Barnum Financial Group in Glastonbury, CT. Jack works for EY, a big-four accounting firm, in Raleigh. Linda considered these fine young men her greatest accomplishments.

Linda was a life-long learner and loved to travel. She and Barry traveled the world for business and pleasure. Her happiest moments were traveling with her sons, showing them London, Paris, Geneva, Madrid, Rome and more. Last year, Linda and Barry spent a week in Hawaii and two weeks cruising the Baltic Sea and visiting eight countries.

Linda will be forever in the hearts of friends and family, a testament to a life well lived. She was preceded in death by her father, Jerry Seipel, in 2001, and her brother, Marty, in 2003. She is survived by her husband, Barry; her children, Eric and Jack; her mother, Carol Seipel; her sisters, Sharon Harris (Phil) and Amy Athey (Jerry); her sister-in-law, Jennifer Paul; and her nieces, Caitlin Seipel, Hannah Seipel and Natalie Harris.

No memorial service is planned due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Her family plans to hold a celebration of Linda’s life once larger gatherings are permitted. In lieu of flowers, the family asks those inclined to donate to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network ( www.pancan.org ).