Visiting the founder of Linn’s Stamp News

Philatelic Foreword by Jay Bigalke

The Aug. 26 issue of Linn’s Stamp News, a milestone moment in a milestone year, marks the 5,000th issue of the publication, a number that took 97 years to achieve.

A special article looking back at some of the past issues, notably the first, 1,000th, 2,000th, 3,000th and 4,000th issues, appears in the Aug. 26 issue.

Ever since the milestone of 5,000 issues was brought to my attention earlier this year, I had a story I wanted to save for the Aug. 26 issue.

Back in March, I traveled to Florida for the first-day-of-issue ceremony for the Save the Manatees forever stamp. At the ceremony, stamp collector Sean O’Keefe, town manager of Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., pointed out to me that March 27, the date of the stamp event, was also the day that George W. Linn had died in 1966.

An interesting coincidence mentioned to me only because O’Keefe had recently started up a local stamp club in honor of Linn.

For background, Linn moved to Howey-in-the-Hills for retirement and added the city to the Linn’s masthead in the Nov. 2, 1953, issue.

So after the Save the Manatees stamp event in Silver Springs, I was driving with my friend Chris Lazaroff back to the airport when we came upon a road sign directing us to Howey-in-the-Hills. We looked at each other and thought, I wonder how far away it is. As it turns out, it was only four miles, so we pulled off the road, and I immediately searched online to see if I could locate the cemetery where Linn was laid to rest.

We drove to the cemetery, and it didn’t take long to find the columbarium that contained Linn’s final resting place. While it’s sad that I never got to meet the man himself, it was still an honor to be somewhat in his presence.

If he were still with us, I’m sure Linn would have had a lot to say about the state of the hobby. And one thing is for sure, we both share a passion for promoting this great hobby with everyone we encounter.

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