Love that lives on: A gift of gratitude for compassionate care

From the moment Linda met her late husband, Robert “Freddie” Korb, in Stuttgart, Germany, where he was stationed at the end of the Vietnam War, they were inseparable. She was working as a secretary, and he was a first sergeant in the military police—two lives brought together in an unexpected place.

“In a world as big as ours, we must have been meant to find each other like we did,” Linda says. “We were each other’s best friends.”

Later, they built a life together in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Linda worked as a librarian before moving into fundraising. Her career ultimately brought them to Houston when she joined The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, while Freddie, after 20 years of military service, became a handyman and property manager.

“He loved his work because he loved people,” Linda says.

As they grew older, Freddie began suffering from debilitating cluster headaches, leading Linda to seek care at the UT Physicians Center for Healthy Aging.

“The center struck a chord with me. Knowing we were both getting older, I thought this was the place for us,” Linda says.

As they did with most things, they approached it together, always scheduling back-to-back appointments with Faith D. Atai, MD, Associate Professor in the Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, so they could be there for each other.

“I can tell you from experience Dr. Atai is the most caring doctor,” Linda says. “She gets to know her patients so well. My husband was not the kind of person who wanted to be fussed over, so she made sure he got what he needed without letting it seem like a big deal.”

As Freddie’s health deteriorated, Atai made his transition to hospice seamless, Linda says.

“He was able to leave this life the way he wanted to—in his own home and his own bed,” she adds. “It was a good life and a good death. I couldn’t have asked for any more.”

Linda wanted to honor the compassionate care they received, so she established the Robert L. and Linda A. Korb Endowment for Healthy Aging in Honor of Dr. Faith Atai. Her donation was matched dollar for dollar through the UTHealth Houston Trailblazers program, doubling its impact.

Atai, who received the American Geriatrics Society’s 2021 Clinician of the Year award, helps advance the mission of the UTHealth Houston Institute on Aging. Through innovative research, education, and specialized services, the institute is dedicated to powering age-appropriate care across the lifespan to help older adults achieve what matters most to them.

When Linda presented the check to Atai, she made sure Freddie was part of the moment—bringing a life-sized cutout of him to share in the occasion. The morning was filled with both laughter and tears, a heartfelt tribute to the kindness and care they had received.

“It made everything so wonderful to have him there like that,” Linda says. Her godchildren originally had the cutout made for Freddie’s memorial service, which Linda held in her garage—a meaningful space where they had welcomed friends and neighbors over the years.

“When COVID hit, my husband said, ‘Let’s open our garage and sit here and wave at everybody.’ So we did, no matter the weather,” Linda recalls. That simple act became a cherished tradition, a way to stay connected with their community.

Now, she finds that giving back brings her comfort. “Making this donation has actually helped with my grief,” she says. “It has been so much fun to be able to do this—to honor both Dr. Atai and Freddie.”

With the growing population of older adults increasing the need for specialized health care, Linda takes comfort in knowing her philanthropy will support healthy aging for generations to come.

“My husband and I lived a wonderful life, and I felt called to do something to celebrate that,” she says. “Knowing I am making a difference fills me with such joy.”