Obituary of Ronald W. Linker

Ronald W. Linker, 83, of State College, died on Friday, March 20, 2015 at Juniper Village at Brookline, State College. Born October 16, 1931, he was the son of the late Daniel and Birdie Berkowitz Linker. On June 16, 1968, in New York City, at The Spanish Jewish Congregation, he married Anita Kaplan, who survives. He was preceded in death by one brother, Stewart Linker. Dr. Linker received his bachelors of Arts degree from Columbia College in 1953, his Masters of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1954 and his doctorate in modern British history from John Hopkins University in 1961. As a Columbia College undergraduate in the early 1950’s he attended the classes of such outstanding scholars as Jaeques Barzun, the cultural historian and Moses Haddad, the classicist. From these scholars he learned the rudiment’s of research and the art of presentation. His own lectures were always thoughtful, deeply informative and clearly and wittily presented. He taught Modern British History, from about 1500 to the present day, as well as Modern European History. His major interests were the role of Catholics in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries, the agricultural revolution of the 19th century in England and the life of John, the third Earl of Bute The Prime Minister to King George III. His research resulted in several seminal articles. During his visits to Britain, he conducted research at various public, private and religious archives and in the great houses of England and Scotland. These experiences allowed him to present a rich, accurate and lively picture of the English past. Whether he was addressing a class on campus, or at the University of Virginia where he was a visiting professor for a year, or in talks to other education institutions such as Skidmore or the University of Scranton, he transported his listeners back to another world. In addition to the traditional offerings in British and Continental History, he introduced new and innovative courses, the first was the original appearance of African History at Penn State University. Later he sponsored a series of seminars in Irish History. And in his final years he enjoyed presenting “History and the Visual Arts.” During thirty years of teaching, he was a dedicated and conscientious thesis and dissertation advisor, many history graduate students benefited from his guidance and editorial skills, as did students in allied disciplinarians such as English and Speech and Rhetoric. In 1967 Dr. Linker won the class of 1933 Distinguished Teaching Award in the Humanities. He retired from Penn State University after thirty years of service as Associate Professor of History. Dr. Linker is known for his articles on the role of the Roman Catholics in 18th and 19th century Britain and John Stuart, third Earl of Bute, who was the controversial prime minister to King George III. After his retirement he had time to investigate the history and decline of the Hapsburg Dynasty and the related subject of the rise and the fall of Nazi Germany. These subjects were of particular concern to him because of his own family’s history. He also enjoyed the study of watches and clocks, British art, took pleasure in his patio and garden and the good company of his beloved English Bulldogs. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College, PA 16801 with the Rabbi David Ostrich officiating. Burial will be in Centre County memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alpha Community Ambulance Service, 1772 University Drive, State College, PA 16801 or Y.I.V.O., Institute for Jewish Studies, 15 W. 16th St. New York, NY 10011 Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com or visit us on Facebook.