Lynda Lee Fleming, age 64, of Prior Lake, MN, formerly of Rochester, NY, passed away on May 21, 2022. A Time of Gathering to Celebrate Lynda’s life will take place from 2 – 5 PM with brief closing words at 5 PM on Saturday, June 4, 2022 at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation (833 Marschall Rd, Shakopee). A memorial service will also take place on Saturday, August 6, 2022 at 1:00 PM with a reception to follow at 2:00 PM at Third Presbyterian Church (4 Meigs St., Rochester, NY 14607). Memorials are preferred and will be donated to the University of Minnesota Kidney Transplant Center.
Lynda Lee was born on October 10, 1957 to Lynn and Gwendolyn (Koon) Snow in Syracuse, New York. One of three children, Lynda was active from an early age. She was involved in 4H activities, learning how to bake and cook, and won awards for her sewing projects. Lynda always had a passion for the arts as well, participating in high school musicals and developing a love for classical music, which she would later share with her son. Lynda learned to take responsibility and established a strong will and independence growing up. She was a mentor and caregiver to her sister and brother through some tough times early in life.
Following her high school graduation, Lynda went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Art from Oswego State University of New York, minoring in mathematics and majoring in computer science. From there, Lynda dived into a male dominated industry, achieving countless promotions and rising in the ranks of corporate America. Throughout her many years, she held the titles of Software Engineer, Team Leader, Supervisor, Recruiter, Consultant, and Quality Control Manager. No matter what role she was in, Lynda commanded the utmost respect and expected the best from her employees. She was a role model for all women pursuing leadership roles in corporations, particularly inspiring her niece, Aurora, to follow in her footsteps. Lynda also did fashion modeling for many years and was always put together and fashionable in her professional and private life.
Lynda was dedicated to her faith and family. Involved in the Young Adult Fellowship at Third Presbyterian Church in Rochester, NY, Lynda decided to attend a fellowship retreat in Toronto with the group. Bill Fleming happened to get seated up front with her on the three hour drive there and back, and their relationship blossomed. After a surprise meeting in the elevator where they both worked (where Lynda initiated the conversation with, “Are you going to say hi, Bill?”), a lunch date was planned, and the rest was history. The two were united in marriage on September 14, 1985 in Rochester. Soon after, they were blessed with a son, Tyler. Lynda shared all of her passions and interests with her family over the years. She was a loving, encouraging mother to Tyler, spending many hours at the figure skating rink and traveling to competitions in the northeast and upper Midwest with him. She was a member of the board and test chair of the Genesee Figure Skating Club for many years. She also shared her love of the culinary art of food and wines. Many hours were spent together with Tyler bonding in the kitchen, making fresh pasta and listening to Mahler, Widor, Puccini, and Rachmaninov. Lynda enjoyed vacations and travels all over the world with her family. Instead of going to touristy places, Bill and Lynda loved to go off the beaten path and truly experience the culture of unique places. Among countless others, Bill and Lynda visited places like Thailand, Vietnam, Oman, Tanzania, and Jordan. They were once air-lifted off of a cruise ship south of the Arctic Circle off the coast of Molde, Norway due to rough seas.
A woman of many talents, Lynda made scrapbooks, did needlepoint and cross stitch, put together photo and descriptive travel books of her journeys, was involved in the church choir for many years, Elder of Third Presbyterian Church, served as a secretary of the Embroiderers Guild of America – Rochester, NY chapter, and picked up many other new hobbies throughout her life. Lynda was a people person, staying in contact with many friends and colleagues over the years. She was passionate and committed to her beliefs but was always receptive to other thoughts and perspectives. She loved having intellectual conversations and challenging herself, encouraging others to do the same. Lynda enjoyed cooking for her guests and sharing good food and conversation, always with a smile that brightened the room.
Those who knew Lynda Fleming were lucky enough to experience the amazing, extraordinary woman that she was. Quietly bold, fiercely independent, and always a loving, caring soul, she will be greatly missed by the love of her life, Bill; son, Tyler Fleming (Joseph); mother, Gwendolyn Green; sister, Debby (Chris) LaMendola; brother, Jeffery Snow; and many other nieces, nephews, family and friends.
She is preceded in death by her father.
