On February 20, 1962, tiny, blue-eyed Linda was born to Howard and Lillian Hertzler in Newport News, VA. Linda was the middle of three girls, with an older sister, Joyce, and a younger sister, Sharon. Linda says they were always treated like boys and had "boy" toys, but she adds, "Mom wasn’t always too happy about us acting like tomboys!" Linda fondly remembers going to work with her daddy, riding in the dump truck and on the bulldozer or playing around a construction site. She chuckles and cringes as she recalls the sisters’ antics as they raced around the backyard and fields on their beloved motorcycles or in the old Willy Jeep. She was seven when they got their first tiny mini-bike. Now that she is a mother, she marvels at what her mom allowed them to do!

Linda has always been very close to her family, and they often did things together, whether it was work or play. She recalls climbing pecan trees, building a clubhouse and picking daffodils from a nearby field with Sharon. During these early years, Howard worked part time for Colony Farms Dairy driving the milk truck to Powhatan twice a week. Linda remembers that they would all pile in the truck for the long ride to Powhatan. Joyce would sit in the middle, and young Sharon got her mother’s lap, leaving Linda to sit on the floor. She says it was a warm and cozy place to sleep, but she just couldn’t see out!

For the first five years of school, Linda attended Sanford Elementary School, which was a half-mile from their house. She remembers wanting to walk or ride a bike, but her mom was afraid something would happen to the girls, so they had to ride the bus.

When Linda was in the sixth grade, they started busing students, and she had to go downtown to Briarwood Middle School. Howard and Lillian were becoming increasingly concerned about the schooling options and decided to move to Powhatan.

Linda says, "Originally the move to Powhatan was horrible, but now I can’t imagine living anywhere else. We moved to the middle of nowhere on 60 acres of land. In Newport News we were in the city on two to three acres with a family of six girls across the street for playmates. We hated when Mom took us to Richmond shopping. We thought we were going on a long trip and would pack bags of toys and books to take along."

Linda entered the seventh grade at Powhatan Middle School, and it turned out to be a good year. Because of crowded conditions, she was placed in an open auditorium containing two classes. She was academically ahead of her peers that first year which gave a huge boost to her self-esteem.

Carl and Linda started dating in high school, often double dating with Miles and Sharon. Carl and Linda were both coaching youth soccer after school, and Carl says, "Linda was the cutest girl on the soccer field!" Linda was attracted to Carl for his bubbly, outgoing personality. After high school the two went their separate ways with Linda taking basic college courses for two years at John Tyler and J. Sargarent Reynolds Community Colleges and Carl going to Va. Tech, where he majored in civil engineering. Linda wanted to transfer to an education major but was never able to fulfill that dream.

In 1984 Linda married Dennis Palmore, and they moved to Germany for two years where he was stationed in the military. Things did not go well for the newlyweds; baby Phillip was born on February 23, 1988, the day the marriage ended. Linda’s faith would now be put to the fire. Linda says, "I grew up in a Christian home, and my faith was always built on what I had been taught. When I was twelve, I responded to an altar call and was baptized a short time later. Now I had to learn to depend personally on God. It was only His grace and the arms of support I experienced in my family and church that pulled me through. Hebrews 13: 5b-6 became very precious to me."

One year, two months later, tragedy struck again. Linda, with young Phillip, was living at her home and still reeling from her divorce when her dad was killed in a tragic car accident. Linda says, "It was overwhelming. Dad was a much needed father figure for Phillip, and now he was gone. We would read in the newspapers about the poor, pitiful kids who were driving the other car, and it would make me angry. I remember at the time I was working at Chippenham Hospital in the radiology department, and for three months, once a week, one of the girls who broke her neck in the accident would come in for x-rays, and I had to see her. But Mom kept saying, ‘You can’t let bitterness control you. You have to forgive.’ I appreciate so much Mom’s wisdom and guidance in learning to depend on God. I never could have made it without her."

Carl likes to tease his wife about being two years older than he. Carl was born on June 10, 1964, at a military base in Albany, Georgia, to H.L. and Brenda Duncan. He has one younger sister, Kim. He says, "Dad was a boiler maker, and we had to travel around a lot. One highlight of my young years was going to my grandmother’s in Tennessee in the summer. They had a local law that allowed 14-year-olds to drive motorcycles in the town limits if they had a permit. This was great fun; I could drive to the pool! I also remember camping in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York with my dad while he worked in construction. When I was five, we moved to Bon Air, where I attended Warwick Christian School; and when I was in the fourth grade, we moved to Powhatan. It was at Graceland Baptist Church in April of 1982 that I walked the aisle and accepted Jesus as my Savior. When I started dating Linda during high school, I attended PMC. I clearly remember my first impression of this very small church and the auditorium with chairs!"

After graduating from Va. Tech, Carl moved to Maryland, where he worked for two years. One day he received word that his high school sweetheart was no longer married. Carl packed his bags and headed home to Powhatan. On October 14, 1989, Carl and Linda were married at PMC.

After their honeymoon, they moved into a house they had bought on Jeter Road. On November 5, 1990, God blessed their home with a daughter, Amy. In 1991 they sold their house and moved in with Lillian while they built the house where they now live. One week before Christmas Carl was laid off from his job. It was really scary being in the midst of building a house and having no prospect of a job. Again the Duncans learned that God does not forsake us. Four months later Carl got a temporary job in Richlands, VA. He says it is so far away in Virginia that you have to go into West Virginia to get there!

Carl now owns his own engineering and surveying business. He enjoys soccer, hunting and computers. Linda enjoys reading and going to yard sales with her sisters and mom. She says, "It is deeply rooted in me! Dad would take us cruising just to look for stuff when we were little, and we would just cringe when he would stop along the street and pick up other people’s junk!"

Linda is a busy mom with busy kids; Amy enjoys horses, softball and reading, and Phillip enjoys soccer and motorcycles. The children attend Richmond Christian School.

Linda says, "Family and PMC are the center of our life. I have been privileged that my husband has a job that has allowed me to be a homemaker and stay-at- home mom to my two children." Carl and Linda both volunteered endless hours of teaching and helping at PMCS. Carl served on the school board and also served as school treasurer for three years. Linda says, "I lived at PMC during those seven years. When the school closed, it was very painful for me. A very important part of my life was taken away. But I can say without any doubt or fear, that the Lord, my God is my helper, and He will never, never forsake me."