Getting to Know Our Neighbors: David Linden
By Pat Hurleigh and Marilyn Holland
A Conversation with David Linden: A Life Well Lived
This month, Marilyn Holland and I had the pleasure of sitting down with 95-year-old East Williston resident David Linden and his wife, Joan. Over the course of an hour, David regaled us with tales of his life in the military, his fascinating career, and the journey that brought him to East Williston.
Born in 1928 at Beth El Hospital in Canarsie—then a rural stretch of Brooklyn—David described his childhood as idyllic, filled with vegetable farms, goats, and baseball games played in empty lots. Teachers in those days personally walked their students home, a reflection of a close-knit community. After attending Brooklyn Tech High School, David transferred to Boys High, which better aligned with his interests, as carpentry—his father’s trade—was not among them.
In 1946, at the age of 17, David joined the Army with his parents’ permission, drawn by the opportunities provided by the GI Bill. He was stationed in Okinawa, where he worked as an editor, reporter, copywriter, and proofreader for The Daily Okinawa, a newspaper published seven days a week. This experience sparked his lifelong passion for journalism.
After his discharge in 1948 as a WWII veteran, David used the GI Bill to pursue higher education. He started at Brooklyn College, transferred to Ohio State University, and completed his graduate studies at Columbia University in 1955.
David's career began in radio at NBC and WABC, eventually leading him to the emerging world of television. His work involved selling ad space for shows like The Bill Cosby Show and I Spy, providing him opportunities to meet celebrities and travel extensively—including a memorable trip to Bangkok.
David first noticed Joan at Brooklyn College but didn’t cross paths with her again until he spotted a “pair of ankles” ascending the stairs at the Young Democratic Club. “The rest is history,” he quipped. The couple married in 1955 at a temple in Long Beach, initially settling in a summer rental before moving to Elmhurst.
Together, David and Joan raised two daughters in Great Neck, where they lived for 25 years. On a drive through East Williston, they fell in love with the area and moved there 30 years ago.
David’s meticulous eye for detail, honed during his military newspaper days, remains sharp. While visiting the Sandminers’ Monument in Port Washington, he noticed a spelling error on the plaque, which stated the sand went down a “shoot” instead of a “chute.” David alerted the town, and they corrected the cast-iron plaque. Joan affectionately describes David’s penchant for spotting errors in newspapers, books, and even cereal boxes, a habit that often distracts him from enjoying the content itself.
Today, David cherishes meaningful conversations and a good book—though, as Joan jokes, he spends more time critiquing the writing than enjoying the story.
When asked what advice he’d like to share, David replied with a twinkle in his eye: “Marry someone who has a job, and keep a small mortgage on your house.” His words elicited chuckles all around—a fitting end to a delightful conversation.
Thank you, David, for sharing your story and enriching our community with your wit, wisdom, and charm.
