Linden Stocker, age 72, passed away late Friday after a battle with myelodestlatic syndrome (a type of leukemia). Most of you will not be acquainted with Linden by name, but there's a good chance you may have seen him at a concert, especially if you live in the Kentucky-West Virginia area.

For many years, Linden was the bus driver for the Perry Sisters. Before illness forced him off the road, he was most recently handling the driving duties for 1 Voice, a strong Kentucky regional group. In between, you would find Linden assisting with the Bishops' homecoming (later the Mark Bishop Homecoming), the Crabb Family homecoming, the Pfeifers' homecoming and many other events. He was also a driving force in the Send-A-Kid-To-Kamp Radiothon, held each year in Lexington, Kentucky.

But more than that, Linden was a gospel music fan to the "n"th degree, attending concerts as often as he could. For example, if he doesn't hold the record for the most consecutive attendence at the Renfro Valley All Night Gospel sing, he's easily in the top two or three - and that event has gone on for more than five decades. (In fact, this year's event may have been the first one he ever missed, but I'm not completely sure.) He was a frequent visitor to the National Quartet Convention; and there is no way of knowing just how many other concerts he would attend during a year's time.

And even though this saying is among the most over-used, Linden was one of those people who would literally give you the shirt off his back if you needed it.

Linden loved to travel with his wife, Carol, in their motorhome. More often than not, they'd be at events long before the first artist bus ever pulled in - and he'd be among the first to welcome everyone.

That's how I look at his passing - he's just moved on ahead to be among the first to welcome us when we get there.

God bless, you, Linden. We'll see you soon.