Obituary of Linda M. Chundrlek

Kenwood-In the morning of November 9th, 2019, Linda 'Lyn' Sweeney Chundrlek, exemplary designer and fierce champion of the arts, passed away surrounded by family and close friends. A brilliant, early sunshine touched the matriarch one last time before guiding her to the next world. She was72. Lyn stayed in Central New York after moving from Union City, PA with her then-husband Danner Chundrlek and their three children Dannette, Dana, and Danny in 1978. She would eventually find a home tucked away in an exceptionally green corner of Kenwood, where she developed close friendships with other CNY residence Melinda Noyes, Michael Cross, Suezanne Adams-Lalonde, Gretchen Tudman, and Deb Phelps, all of whom gave her tremendous support and strength throughout her battle with cancer. Lyn's passing was preceded by her father Richard Sweeney in 1971, mother Elaine Harris Sweeney in 1993, and her son Danny in 2015. She is survived by her brother Scott Sweeney, his children Justin, Brian and Julia, granddaughter Kaylin; her daughters Dana and Danette, daughter-in-law Cecily, son-in-law Dan Bassin; and grandchildren Ian, Noah, Phinn, Harris, Kate, Kiah-Rain, and Johnny Mac, to whom she was always affectionately known as "Mimi." Before "Mimi," Lyn graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Art and English. She received an award for excellence for teaching young children at South Side School in Canastota, NY. Lyn then went to work for some of the most prestigious names in furniture and house design as a sales associate and interior designer. In 1994 she received an award for regional designer achievement while working for Ethan Allen. Her talents and skill with color, composition and draughtsmanship were only rivaled by the level of care and affection which she gave to her children and grandchildren. "Mimi" was a member of the Canastota Garden Club, as well as a lifelong member of her own amateur meadow walks, identifying the herbs and wildflowers to those who accompanied her. Her love for the world's natural beauty, the same beauty impressed upon the work of artists, poets, writers, musicians, fashion designers and filmmakers alike, was feverishly instilled to all her descendants. Her influence extended towards everyone she met, treated with the respect and kindness that Lyn thought each wonderfully unique person deserves. The greatest love of her life, perhaps, was in the moon. In this love she would share with nightly phone calls, softly pronouncing in awe, "Bella Luna!" She will be dearly missed. A funeral service for Lyn will be held at St. Helena's Church in Sherrill, NY, at 10:00 A.M. on September 11th, 2020. The family requests in lieu of flowers that donations be given to Lyn's favorite local museum, the Munson-Williams-Proctor Art Institution.