Edmond Champions of Character

---

Linda de la Garza received the Champion of Character award for her loyalty on August 21 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Character Council of Edmond board member, Dr. Shermie Potts presented the award. Attending the brief ceremony were Linda’s husband, Mike, their daughter, Kristie Buergler, along with church friends, Cindy Young, Ann Goetz, Elizabeth Kastl, and Laurie Olsen. Character Council’s president, Jim Hulsey and vice president, Diane Krakowski also represented the Character Council.

In her nomination, Linda’s friend, Cindy Young said, “Linda has been a loyal friend and neighbor for over 45 years. I have been a witness to her as a loving wife to her husband, Mike, and as a devoted parent to her two children and grandchildren.”

Linda and her husband Mike moved to Edmond in 1977 and still live in the same home they bought when they first moved to the community. The two worked in the Edmond Public schools, Linda as a secretary and Mike as a teacher and coach. Their son Scott is a surgeon in Oklahoma City. Kristie also lives in Oklahoma City and does volunteer work with her mom. The de la Garzas have four grandchildren, Jackson, Kristen, Brooklyn and McCloud.

Before Linda retired, she worked with Dr. Potts, who has served as Choral and Music Director at Santa Fe High School since 1997. Dr. Potts said, "Linda supported and encouraged me as a young teacher at Santa Fe High School. She always tried to make sure the choir had everything they needed."

Mike is a retired Basketball Coach/Athletic director and Linda was a faithful fan, watching games as a wife and a mother. Cindy said, “She treats her friends like family, inviting them to one of her delicious home cooked meals.”  Linda’s kitchen played a key role in bringing family and friends together when their children were growing up and still does. When Linda’s twin nieces, Camryn and Greyson Gore, attended college, it became a tradition for them to come to dinner once a week. They began inviting friends to join in. Even though they graduated, friends, some new, are still coming for family dinner. 

Since Cindy’s husband passed away twelve years ago, she became a part of the de la Garza’s family meals almost every evening.  Cindy said, “Linda’s commitment doesn’t just stop with family and friends, she gives her time to Meals on Wheels, our Church Samaritan House Food Pantry, as well as our Church Linen ministry and Bible Study.” 

Linda and Kristie enjoy volunteering together. Through their commitments to serve others, Linda said, “You see things that you don’t know about.” Their volunteer service through Meals on Wheels allows them to see a part of the community where there is a lot of need. Meals on Wheels reaches mostly shut-ins. Mom and daughter have been able to connect with some of them. 

Samaritan House inspired Linda to recognize there are homeless people and helped her to view the community in a different light. Linda defines loyalty as “Being there when your friend needs you.”  She watched her parents as she grew up. Linda said, “They were loyal in everything they did. If someone was sick and needed someone to sit with them or fix meals, they were there for them.” 

Recently, a friend fell. Linda took her to the hospital and helped her through her recovery. That is what she saw her parents do. 

Linda said, “It takes a loyal friend to be a loyal friend. If I want people to be loyal to me, I need to model the same way.” She encourages others, “Do not pick and choose who you are loyal to.”

On behalf of the City of Edmond and the Character Council of Edmond, Linda de la Garza was honored as a Champion of Character for exemplifying the character trait of loyalty, defined by Character First as “Demonstrating commitment to others.”

The Character Council is a grassroots, nonprofit organization committed to creating a citywide initiative to build Edmond into a "Community of Character." The group believes that the character of a nation can only be strengthened one person at a time, one community at a time. Toward that end, the Character Council of Edmond seeks to recognize residents who demonstrate character, as witnessed by those who have been affected and influenced.

Pictured: Linda de la Garza and Cindy Young

Please complete the form located on our website to recognize an EDMOND citizen for a specific character trait. Forms may be submitted from the website or mailed to the 

Character Council of Edmond 

Champions of Character

PO Box 392 

Edmond, OK 73083-0392.

or contact: Gloria Baumann (405) 317-9089    Gloria_Baumann@outlook.com  

Champions of Character Honorees

2014 to Present

• Amanda Jenson Positivity February, 2024
• Perry Sneed Dependability November, 2023
• Irene Liang   Punctuality October, 2023
• Jeff Morefield Courage July, 2023
• Shaun Pryor Flexibility June 2023
• Diana Pate Generosity April, 2023
• Jim Hulsey Enthusiasm March, 2023
• Carol Anderson Orderliness September, 2022
• Susan Isaacs Patience June, 2022
• Stephanie Carel Creativity April, 2022
• Salvador Garcia Trustworthiness March, 2022
• Beth Conner Diligence March, 2022
• Darrell Davis Respect January, 2022
• Judy Pike Thoroughness December, 2021
• Gary Wallace Loyalty September, 2021
• Sondra Reid Availability August, 2021
• Becky Crow Honesty March 2021
• Justin Rowley Positivity February, 2021
• Laura Liles Resilience December, 2020
• Pete Reeser  Courage December, 2020
• Amy Stephens Dependability  December, 2020
• Michelle Schaefer Discipline June, 2020
• Dick Opalka Generosity February, 2019
• Yara Ford  Attentiveness  March, 2019
• Chrislyn Sperry  Respect   January, 2019
• Kathryn Olds Persuasiveness  November, 2018
• Jill Castilla  Creativity  September, 2018
• Maureen Coury Compassion  January, 2018
• KC Williams Dependability October, 2017
• David Ford  Humility  July, 2017
• Steve Bowlware Enthusiasm, March, 2017
• Laura McGee Truthfulness, April,  2017  
• Richard Killgore  Generosity  February, 2017
• Peggy Geib Gratefulness  January, 2017 
• Dustin & Erikka Ault  Initiative  January, 2017
• Chris Waugh  Initiative  January, 2017 
• Nathan Walters  Orderliness  November, 2016 
• Kris Rush  Diligence  March, 2016 
• Jason Henley Compassion  January, 2016 
• Ray Vaughn Dependability  August, 2015 
• Jean Holt  Sensitivity  April, 2015 
• Brian Maughan  Availability  April, 2015 
• Chris Shorow  Joyfulness  October, 2014 
• Virginia Peters  Endurance  September, 2014 
• Bea Sprouse  Discretion  August, 2014 
• Krista Law  Creativity  July, 2014 
• Cora Stamps  Initiative  January, 2014