Ann Arbor Remembers the ‘Face of the Ark,’ Linda Siglin

For the past six decades, Linda Siglin has been synonymous with Ann Arbor's live music scene. Today, the Ann Arbor community reflects on her legacy at the nationally known music venue The Ark.

Linda, 80, died unexpectedly on March 16. A GoFundMe campaign is raising money for her family. She will be honored at a celebration of her life ceremony at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., in Ann Arbor.

Linda and her husband, David, served as co-general managers for the nonprofit. He retired from The Ark in 2008. Linda took a job at the University of Michigan in 1983 and retired in 2005. Despite the job, Linda continued demonstrating her support for The Ark and its mission.

David booked the shows during the couple's service to The Ark, and Linda managed the volunteers. She also sold tickets at the box office, introduced acts, and hosted its Hootenanny performances.

“Essentially, I was known as the guy who was married to the woman who was running The Ark,” David said in an interview with MLive.

Susan Martinez, who volunteered for The Ark for many years, remembered Linda being like a mother to everyone who came to her seeking advice or support.

“She told you exactly what she thought right away,” Martinez said. “She was going to outlive all of us. That's the energy she had.”

“You always knew when Linda was around, even if you couldn't see her because you'd hear her laughing,” said Marianne James, The Ark's executive director. 

James, who started working at The Ark in 1997, said that while she may not have worked with Linda directly, Linda's impact on The Ark had been evident from her first day on the job. James said she recognized that Linda was “larger than life.”