Linda (Johnson) Fasteson, 73, of Seekonk, Massachusetts, passed away peacefully on February 8, 2026, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. A gifted educator, award-winning travel journalist, businesswoman, and beloved wife and mother, Linda lived a life defined by curiosity, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to understanding the world around her.
Born in Providence, RI on July 14, 1952, to Mildred “Millie” (Anderson) Johnson and R. Lennart “Lenny” Johnson, Linda was an only child who learned early the value of forging her own path. She graduated from Classical High School and attended Simmons University before earning her Master’s degree in teaching from Rhode Island College. Linda dedicated her early career to inspiring young minds as a high school science teacher, where her passion for knowledge and discovery touched countless students.
Together with her husband Roger, Linda co-owned R.E. Fasteson Building Materials, demonstrating the same dedication to excellence in business that she would later bring to her writing career. She chose to stay home to raise her children, serving as an active leader in the PTA, and when they were grown, she embarked on what would become a remarkable 25-year career as a travel journalist.
Linda and Roger created Notable Travels, an award-winning travel journalism, photography, and videography partnership that became their shared passion. Over her prolific career, Linda published over 200 articles across prestigious outlets including The Sun Chronicle’s Living Well section (where she contributed monthly features from 2004-2017), Boston Globe, BBC, and FWT Magazine. She also created travel videos on YouTube (@fasteson), bringing destinations to life through visual storytelling.
Her writing specialized in travel for Baby Boomers and empty nesters, emphasizing the history, culture, and cuisine of destinations around the world. Linda’s philosophy was beautifully simple: travel is fundamental to “better understand the people, places and events of our world.” She sought to help readers find “travel experiences that are not only relaxing and revitalizing but also enlightening.”
Linda’s exceptional work earned her numerous accolades from the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA), including First Prize for Best Travel Article Written for the Internet in 2006 for “Montreal: The City of Festivals and So Much More,” along with multiple Bronze and Silver awards between 2010 and 2016. She was a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the International Food and Wine Writers Association.
Her travels took her and Roger across six continents and dozens of countries: from river cruises down the Amazon to barge cruises through European waterways, from ocean voyages through the Panama Canal to expeditions to Iceland and Greenland. They explored European capitals, cruised the Baltic Sea, discovered the cultures of China, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, and ventured to Morocco, Senegal, Turkey, Cyprus, and Crete. Closer to home, they chronicled adventures throughout Canada—from Montreal and Quebec to the Eastern Townships, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick—and traveled to a large percentage of U.S. states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and to the Caribbean. Linda always sought new stories and new challenges, approaching each destination with diligence, careful research, and a special effort to authentically represent the places and people she encountered.
Beyond her writing, Linda was a person who continually embraced new challenges and learning opportunities. She was a skilled interior decorator who designed her entire home, inside and out, creating a space that reflected her artistic vision. An accomplished baker and chef, she was famous for her homemade pretzels, Swedish cookies, and Roger’s favorite Swedish meatballs and pancakes. She loved arts and crafts, constantly exploring new creative projects that brought beauty into everyday life.
Linda is survived by her devoted husband of 54 years, Roger E. Fasteson of Seekonk, MA; her daughter Kristina F. Simacek (Paul Simacek) of Canton, Massachusetts; her son David A. Fasteson (Stella Fasteson) of Smithfield, RI; and her cherished granddaughters Vera and Valerie Simacek of Canton, MA. She was predeceased by her parents, Millie (Anderson) Johnson and R. Lennart Johnson.
Linda’s legacy lives on in the countless articles that continue to inspire travelers to explore the world with open hearts and curious minds, in the students she taught to love learning, in the family she loved deeply, and in the beautiful life she created through her unwavering dedication to understanding and sharing the wonders of our world.
Calling hours will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM in the PERRY-McSTAY FUNERAL HOME, 2555 Pawtucket Avenue, East Providence followed by a celebration of life at 12:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.
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