Wright move

State Farm’s Linda Wright to retire, Bob Easterby takes the reins

Local State Farm agent Linda Wright is retiring as of December 31 of this year.

As Wright said with a laugh in an interview last week, “I want to see what it’s like to ski on a Tuesday.”

Dave Easterby, a State Farm sales associate in the Glendale/La Crescenta area, will take over the office, though it will not be immediate, as he has to transition out of his own area first. He will start Jan. 5, and commute as often as possible before moving to Mammoth full-time by summer.

Easterby, who has four grown children, will move to Mammoth with his wife of 31 years and their two dogs.

A native Californian, moving to the Sierra represents the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Easterby, who is a lifelong skier and avid outdoor enthusiast.

His wife had some trepidation about the move, fearing they were creating too much distance from their children, but as Easterby said with a laugh, “My 20-year old [Grace] now says she wants to spend more time with us.”

As Wright said, despite the changing of the guard, the office shouldn’t feel a whole lot different. “Jim and J.J. will still be here.” And Easterby was recruited for the job within State Farm, so the company is obviously confident it will be a good fit.

Not only is Easterby well-versed in the property and casualty business, but he has extensive experience as a financial advisor.

As for Wright, this marks the conclusion of a 29-year career, including 20 years as an agent in Bakersfield and 7 years in Mammoth.

Why is she retiring?

“The short answer is, ‘I can,’” she said. “My husband’s been retired for five years. I’ll be a grandmother in March … I’m ready.”