The campus community mourns the passing of Lynda Smith, 83, who died Friday, May 1. Lynda retired in 2008 after more than 20 years of service as a benefits specialist.
I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others.
On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Lynda’s family, as well as to all who knew her at Bucknell.
John C. Bravman
President
Lynda E. Smith passed peacefully on 5/1/2026 in the arms of her daughter Kandi, from injuries sustained in a car accident days earlier.
Born to the late Andrew M. Eisenhauer, killed in action during WWII in Cicino, Italy, on January 10, 1944, and Betty Hommel Eisenhauer Sauers, remarried when she was 4 to George E. Sauers (who was a friend of Andrew and Betty when they were in school).
She enjoyed crossword puzzles,computer time, TV, and reading. At 70, rescued a stray beagle mix puppy. It wasn’t long before Lynda was teaching her young scenthound how to track. In time she trained him to pick things off the floor for her and he was certified as her service dog. At the age of 75, Lynda received her Dog Training/Instructor certificate, teaching obedience ever since along with her daughter, Amanda. AKC evaluator for certificate testing. A member of the Beaver Memorial United Methodist Church in Lewisburg. Prior to becoming disabled, Lynda enjoyed traveling throughout the United States as well as internationally. She sometimes traveled with Bucknell students and professors on extended educational trips throughout Europe. She visited 42 states and 20 countries. Trips with her husband included two weeks exploring three of the Hawaiian Islands and two weeks with her church group traveling throughout Israel, where she was baptized in the river Jordan. She attended all of 1960 Mifflinburg High School class reunions.
A 1960 graduate of Mifflinburg High School and voted Class Clown that year, went to Thompson Business School, Harrisburg PA. She took evening classes at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, and daytime classes at Bucknell University in Lewisburg from 1988-2002, and on-line classes at Penn Foster College.
Although she had Ankylosing Spondylitis her entire adult life, Lynda lived her life to the fullest, seldom complaining. She was a firm believer of “use it or lose it”. Lynda often said “I am going to live my life until I die. And that’s what she did. An inspiration to us all.
Survived by 3 daughters. Amanda Smith (Lewisburg), Lynlee Graffunder (Steve) (Selinsgrove), Kandi Atkinson (Mark) (Pottsville), six grandchildren plus one honorary grandson, seven great-grandchildren, one sister.
Preceded in death by her husband of 59 ½ years Tucker, parents, and sister Sandra Hartman.
Services will be held at the John Shaw Funeral home at 801 Market St., Lewisburg, PA on Thursday, May 7th. Viewing will begin at 10 a.m. and the funeral services at 11. A reception will be held immediately following services. Location TBA at the services.
I’m so sad to hear of Lynda’s passing. I remember her with immense fondness and gratitude. From her perch in HR, Lynda waged war with insurance companies whenever they tried to deny a claim. She was fearless and wouldn’t take no for an answer, no matter how small the claim. (I was fresh out of graduate school so the claims never did feel small). After a while, they stopped denying the claims quite so often, and I always believed she scared them off.
Because of her, I came to think of HR as a place that worked hard for all Bucknell workers. I still remember her every time I’m waiting on the telephone trying to talk to a healthcare or insurance company. Thank you, Lynda, and rest in peace <3
Meenakshi
Lynda Smith was a wonderful colleague, employee and friend. We always marlved at her upbeat outlook and her quiet determination to live a full, interesting and other -directed life. She was clearly proficient at her job, but her personality and character were ideal for the kind of work that she did for Bucknell. We are so pleased that our times of service to Bucknell overlapped and we had a chance to work with and to know her.
Sandy and Gary Sojka