In a sad coda to our September 2007 cover story, “You’re Fired!,” unemployed Menomonee Falls resident Linda Harrison died in her sleep on Jan. 2, 2008, while visiting her family in Oregon. Her cause of death was “multiple drug interactions,” family members said. At the time, Harrison had been taking several prescription medications.
The 55-year-old woman had suffered numerous financial setbacks and health problems after losing her job as head of underwriting at Blue Cross Blue Shield in 2005. She was let go after Indianapolis-based Anthem bought out Blue Cross.
For an article about the impact of job loss on successful professionals, Harrison told us she was treated unfairly by her new boss (now president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Wisconsin), when he broke the news to her. She also claimed the company gave her a difficult time when she tried to collect her severance and then reneged on a written agreement to pay the remainder of her relocation costs.
“We are sorry to hear of Ms. Harrison’s passing and our condolences go out to her family,” Anthem spokesperson Jill Becher wrote in an e-mail, adding that the company does not publicly discuss individual personnel matters.
Harrison’s sister, Laura Yates, said the loss of work was the beginning of Harrison’s demise. “Her being let go is what I believe created her bleeding ulcer. … And as a result, she had all kinds of complications,” including double pneumonia, two subcranial hemorrhages and symptoms from chronic liver disease.
Nevertheless, Yates said her sister was feeling better and planned to move back to her home state of Oregon.
“I will miss her forever,” Yates said. “I cannot begin to tell you how talented, smart and gifted this woman once was.”
(To read the full “You’re Fired” story, go to our archives at milwaukeemagazine.com.)
