Linda Pittala Langseder

Linda Pittala Langseder, age 82, of Hockessin, DE passed away peacefully on 3 February 2024. She was born and raised in Queens, New York to Irma and Joseph Pittala. She graduated from Newtown High School in Queens, NY.

While working a summer job as a cashier at a luncheonette at 152 Madison Avenue in Manhattan, Linda met her future husband, Richard, who was working as an elevator operator in the same building. Richard made a point of having his lunch breaks at the luncheonette during Linda’s shifts. He used to joke that Linda could not resist a man in uniform, even if it was an elevator operator uniform.

Their courtship continued while she attended Queens College of NY, (CUNY), while Richard attended City College, (CCNY). Following graduation, they were married and moved to Connecticut. Eventually they purchased a home in Dix Hills, Long Island, NY to raise their two sons. Linda stayed home with the boys while also joining and participating in many philanthropic community activities, especially the Women’s Liberation Movement. As her sons grew older, she had more ambitious desires to return to the workforce. With the help of her mother moving into their home as support, she pursued several rewarding career opportunities.

She was hired as the first employee of ADAPCO (Analysis Design and Application Company, Ltd.), a mechanical engineering and computer modeling firm as the office manager. She played an instrumental role in the start-up of this firm, supplementing her Office Manager responsibilities with “everything else” that was required to efficiently run an office of engineers. Linda always enjoyed taking on challenging assignments and ultimately helped ADAPCO become a $100 plus million-dollar company at the time of her retirement. After retiring, Linda and Richard moved to Hockessin, Delaware to be closer to their sons and grandchildren.

Linda was known for her quick-witted, direct sense of humor and enjoyed spending her summers at Yankee Lake, NY with family and friends. In her spare time, she enjoyed traveling, meeting with her book clubs, attending the University of Delaware’s Lifelong Learning Academy, supporting Delaware Theater Company, playing piano and was always ready to engage in political discussions. However, she was most proud of her grandchildren and loved being part of their lives.

Linda is survived by her husband of nearly 60 years, Richard; her two sons, Steven (Meghan) and David (Beth); and six grandchildren: Katherine, Grace, Mary, Nate, Polly, and Desmond. She was predeceased by her grandson Jack.