Linda was born and raised in Abilene, attending College Heights and North Junior High. Her father, T.W. "Jack" Dean, was on the music faculty at Hardin-Simmons University. Her mother, Frances, had her hands full with four children and no clothes dryer.

Linda's most memorable 5th grade experience was being cast in The Pied Piper of Hamlin. Schoolchildren from all over the city were bussed to Fair Park Auditorium to see this play. In the 9th grade she moved to Fort Worth with her family and graduated from Paschal High School. Then - ahead of her time - she took a "Gap Year," working for six months as a Stewardess before going off to college.

At Baylor, Linda majored in Political Science and met Arthur Goolsbee, a former Marine returning to college on the GI bill. After their marriage she worked to put him through the University of Texas Law School. Eventually they moved to Los Angeles and lived there for 33 years, where Art was Director of Finance for Utility Trailer Manufacturing. Linda was actively involved in raising their son Austan, performing in community theatre, attending USC graduate school, and working for Pacific Bell as a manager in large business sales and installation, corporate course design, and customer training.

Regular visits to the Dean home near View gave their Waco-born son the chance to fish in the stock tank and experience the wide-open spaces of West Texas. Austan grew up to become a Professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Chairman of the Economic Advisors in the first Obama Administration. Later her grandchildren would also spend time here, telling their surprised parents they loved Abilene because "there is so much to do" [horses and cousins help!].

In 2004 Linda and Art retired to Abilene to be near her family and became deeply connected to West Texas through their church and other community groups until Art's passing in 2021. His new hometown-by-choice was blessed by his service as an ordained Episcopal Deacon, a United Way Board member, Associate Judge of the Abilene Municipal Court, and active participant in other community organizations. Linda feels called to continue his example of service to the West Texas they love.