Timothy Lyon Linker (Tim)
1975 - 2022
Timothy Lyon Linker (Tim) entered Heaven to be with His Lord and Savior on Tuesday, August 30, 2022
at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem, NC, in the loving arms of his wife, Johanna.
Tim became a follower of Jesus Christ at the young age of 8. He was a shining example of Christ’s love,
as he showed it in his selfless actions and spoke about his love for the Lord with many people. He was a
wonderful family man, always putting God at the forefront of his familial relationships and teaching his
children (Luke and Kaia) to put God and family first also. Even in his toughest times while battling
cancer, Tim ministered to all those he met about his faith in God.
Tim served in the US Army National Guard for 8 years, finishing his basic training after his Junior year at
Richmond Senior High School. During his service, he additionally graduated with a bachelor’s degree
from UNC-Charlotte and a master’s degree from NC State University.
After college, he was employed as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman Cass Ballenger where he
traveled the world, representing the United States. Shortly after his employment for the congressman,
Tim was employed at NC State University, where he went on to earn an additional master’s degree.
After his employment at NC State, he continued his career at High Point University and built their
Research Administration Program, as well as their Willed Body Program. At the time of his passing, he
was currently employed as Assistant Vice Chancellor of Research Administration in the Division of
Research and Economic Development at NC A&T University.
He was an avid runner, participating in several marathons. He also loved many outdoor activities – such
as archery, hiking, biking, fishing, and kayaking. He recently became a certified scuba diver and enjoyed
traveling to places that included his love for outdoor activities.
Tim is survived by his wife, Johanna; son, Luke; daughter, Kaia Ronquillo; parents, Nancy and Wayne
Boling; brothers, Dwayne Boling (Sara) and Reed Hinson; cousin, Michael Lyon (Yvette); aunt and uncle,
John and Donna Hauff; mother-in-law, Lynn Grigg (Scot); father-in-law, Davis Miller; brothers-in-law,
Isaac Miller (Katie), Keith Spencer (Janean), and Jason Grigg (Tia); sister-in-law, Ashley Wilson (Cole); and
nieces and nephews, CJ, Alyssa, Brody, Dylan, and Elaina Boling. He is preceded in death by his father,
Billy H. Linker; paternal grandparents, Sherril and Ida Linker; and maternal grandparents, Amos and Lois
Lyon.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, September 10, 2022 from 2:00-5:00 pm in the Worship
Center at Calvary Baptist Church – Peace Haven Campus, with the service beginning at 2:30 pm. There
will be time to visit with the family after the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Cancer GPS at P.O. Box 5236, High Point, NC 27262, or
Roberdel Baptist Church, 1118 Richmond Rd #2451, Rockingham, NC 28379.
Tim will be missed so very much. He was a great colleague, friend; a real team player. His talent was endless, and his commitment to our mission demonstrably visible. We are grateful to have engaged with him while in this life and grateful for the memories and contributions he left with us.
Thank you for always going above and beyond to take care of our parents. Our best memories are Thanksgiving spent at Nanas and in your home. You always prepared something fancy for us. We will miss you Tim.
My heart is heavy knowing that you all have to go on without Tim. As a friend and mentor, he was an incredible example of what I want to be in research administration. He was so proud of his family and I appreciated seeing that side of him, normalizing a work-life balance that is honorable. Working with him on several special projects in SRAI was a privilege. Not only was he professional and made sure the work got done, but we also had a lot of fun and laughs. I will always treasure my rubber duck that he brought as a gift to one of our meetings and will never forget his signature sign-off – “Go Duckies!”
His leadership will be carried on with all of us as the initiatives he participated in are living on and creating a field of more strong leaders that I know he was proud to call his friends and colleagues. I think I can speak for his SRAI family in saying that we are all mourning with you and will never forget his influence in our lives. We are here for you and sending all of our thoughts, prayers, and love just like he did for us.
Our hearts are heavy at the loss of a great colleague who was so well respected and clearly loved by his family and friends. Our sincere condolences to the family from the NCA&T Division of Human Resources.
Tim was such a wonderful wealth of knowledge. I always looked forward to presenting with him and learning something new from him. He always spoke so fondly of his family and got that special look in his eye when we would chat about our families. He loved his work and was so dedicated to his team at NC A&T. I was amazed when we talked recently and he was concerned about working on a large project and whether or not he would be able to complete it. His dedication to his family, work and SRA was so admirable. He made a such positive impact on me and his colleagues. I will miss him tremendously. My heart breaks for Johanna, Luke, Kaia and his extended family. You are in my prayers. I hope your very best memories will help you through this very difficult time.
Tim was one of our first friends upon moving to High Point over ten years ago. He was selfless, funny, loving, and always up for an adventure. His positivity and go-getter attitude was contagious! Our deepest condolences to his family.
Tim was a great colleague and teacher. We worked to develop many things at SRAI, but mostly his encouragement and guidance directed me to my first of many publications.
My deepest condolences to you, family and friends as a great man has been called to the Lord. Life will continue but there will be a hole for many.
My condolences to Tim’s family. I considered him a friend and valued colleague. He was always professional and exceptionally valuable as a resource as we established the research policies within the new School of Pharmacy at HPU. I found Tim to be kind, friendly, and always willing to help. Thank you Tim and may you rest in peace!
Johanna, Tim reached so many people including the Research Team at Western Carolina University. When I first met Tim at a meeting in Orlando, he was laughing that I worked at a purple university and had many purple ties. He remarked that he used to work at a purple university (Highpoint) as well. The following week, without prompting, a box of purple ties arrived at my office without a note or message, but I immediately knew who sent it. I enjoyed emailing and thanking him. I still wear those purple ties and will always remember Tim’s helpful and kind approach.
I first met Tim at High Point University in 2012. We shared office space on the same floor in Roberts Hall, and Tim’s door was always open. Even though he left HPU for greener pastures, we kept in touch over the years. I’ll remember him for his ability to find hope even in the darkest of times. He loved his family greatly, and they know that he fought as hard as he could each and every day to stay a little longer with them. That took a great deal of courage and determination. As he often said to me, he could be stubborn. I will miss him.
Tim will truly be missed. I had the honor to work along side of him at SRAI meetings and in North Carolina education events. He was always upbeat and willing to support/educate anyone who asked. He was especially dedicated to assisting younger folks to learn and grow. He will be missed.
I met Tim when he interviewed for a contract negotiator position at NC State University Office of Sponsored Programs. This is where Tim began his career in University Research Administration and he and I began a friendship that was a blessing to me. Tim was a hard worker and a fast learner. He soon became a trainer and mentor to other new hires. Tim was the “go to guy” who took on every challenge, always the first to volunteer. He stepped up and organized office cook outs and volunteer outings with Habitat for Humanity that were great team building exercises and morale boosters. Even after Tim moved on to build a research administration program at High Point University and to grow the program at NC A&T State University, Tim stayed close to many of his coworkers at NCSU. He was a better friend to me than I deserved; he always cared for others before himself, lead by his undying faith in God. That faith carried him through many personal challenges, including his battle with cancer. None of us can ever explain why Tim faced the ultimate challenge but he was never bitter about it, he found reasons to be thankful for his struggles and was always more concerned for his family and friends than for himself. There is another hole in my heart that I know can never be filled but just as surely, I know that I was truly blessed to have had Tim’s friendship and Love in my life.
My heart aches for the passing of my dear friend, Tim Linker. For nearly 18 years Tim blessed my life with his infectious positive, gracious, and generous attitude. I learned so much from Tim, about compassion, leadership, and friendship; he made a lasting impact on my life, and I am forever grateful to have known him. These past few months have been trying, and now his absence is deafening for Johanna, Luke, Kaia, and extended family and friends all of whom he adored and spoke of fondly, proudly, and often. Lord, I thank you for Your blessings and that You are so visible through family and friends like Tim Linker. Goodbye, my dear friend, our frequent visits enriched my soul; you are sorely missed.