The Young and the Restless spoilers document sad news today. Kate Linder’s (Esther Valentine) husband Ronald Linder has died. Details of his death are not available at this time. However, Kate Linder retweeted Y&R’s Happy Father’s Day tweet on June 18. So it appears that Mr. Linder’s death was unexpected.
Tristan Rogers (Colin Atkinson) was the first Y&R cast mate to offer his sympathy. He said, “My condolences to my dear friend and colleague Kate Linder on the sad passing of her husband Ron. My total sympathy.”
Kate Linder has played the delightful character Esther since 1982. Esther was introduced as Katherine Chancellor’s (Jeanne Cooper) maid and eventual companion. Esther’s light-hearted banter offered comic relief, which played off of Katherine’s often serious life issues through 2013, when Cooper died.
Katherine’s connection with Esther deepened as time passed through the decades in Genoa City. All great actors take whatever part is offered to them and develop it through creative interpretation and sheer will. Such is the case with Linder, as her embodiment of Esther went far beyond the script.
Further proof of Linder’s greatness was evidenced after Cooper passed away in May 2013. By that time Esther had her own deeply established backstory, which meant that Linder’s character was her own person.
Jill’s (Jess Walton) returns to town in recent years established a Katherine-Esther sequel of sorts. Walton’s character and Linder’s bonded, due to their equal love for the Grande Dame. They nicely recreated the type of banter that Jill and Katherine often engaged in.
Part of Esther’s history included her having a daughter, who she named after Katherine. Katie later came to call herself Chloe when Elizabeth Hendrickson began playing the SORAS’d version of Esther’s only child in 2008.
Linder’s recent work in the Khloe near-wedding-disaster was terrific. Yes, Esther’s maligned and mentally unstable daughter had disrupted GC again. While Esther still had her grandchild (Bella, Gia Poeme), she’d seemingly lost control over Chloe once again. Then it appeared as though an overdose took her daughter’s life.
But, in classic soap style Hendrickson’s hand pushed open her casket while Kevin (Greg Rikaart) watched and then fainted. Esther doesn’t know it, but her Katie is still alive.
Hopefully Hendrickson’s write-out, which will take place in July, includes Chloe somehow relaying to her mother that she’s not dead. Surely that proposed scene will simply add to the plethora of fantastic performances that Linder has offered to Y&R’s audience across thirty-five years. CDL is a leading source for everything linked to The Young and the Restless. Check back regularly for Y&R spoilers and news!
My condolences to my dear friend and colleague Kate Linder on the sad passing of her husband Ron. My total sympathy.
— tristanrogers (@tristanrogers) June 20, 2017
