Linda Jane Womack rarely made headlines, but her family and towns were shaped by her. Her children included actress Connie Britton, born Constance Elaine Womack, and her fraternal twin sister Cynthia. Education, family, service, and establishing a loving, imaginative house dominated her life.
When I look at Linda’s story, I see someone whose legacy was built less through fame than through steady participation. She taught children, supported schools, cared for older adults, and encouraged her daughters as they grew from imaginative girls into accomplished women.
Linda Jane Womack’s Early Life
Linda Jane Cochran was born on May 17, 1942, in New Haven, Connecticut. Her parents were Joseph Rowland Cochran and Emily Marie Sullivan Cochran. She grew up in a family environment that valued education, responsibility, and community ties.
Linda attended Prospect Hill School in New Haven before pursuing her education at Pine Manor Junior College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. Wheelock College in Boston awarded her a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. Her academic career reflected her concern in child development and patient, thoughtful instruction.
Linda taught at Brookline’s Chestnut Hill School before marrying and having children. Her teaching was more than a job. A key part of her identity. After having children, she continued to work with them and contribute to education.
Marriage to Allen Womack
Allen and Linda married in New Haven on December 28, 1963. The 1942-born Allen was a scientist and energy company executive. He built a long career at Babcock and Wilcox and then BWX Technologies after studying at MIT.
The couple’s life followed the demands of Allen’s career. They lived in several locations, including the Rockville, Maryland, area, before eventually settling in Lynchburg, Virginia. Their marriage lasted until Linda’s death in 2005.
Allen’s professional life was grounded in science, engineering, and energy. Linda’s work was rooted in education and service. Their paths were different, but they formed a household in which learning and public responsibility were treated as natural parts of life.
Raising Twin Daughters
Linda and Allen became the parents of twin daughters on March 6, 1967. The girls were born in Boston and named Constance Elaine Womack and Cynthia Womack. They were fraternal twins, meaning they were not identical and developed distinct appearances and personalities.
The family spent part of the twins’ early childhood in the Rockville area. When the girls were about seven years old, the family moved to Lynchburg. The relocation brought them into a new community and a landscape that would shape Connie’s childhood memories.
The family lived in a two-story white Colonial on a cul de sac in Lynchburg. Woodlands, a brook, and neighbourhood kids made playtime natural. Cynthia and Connie wandered, wrote plays, and performed for family. They used closet clothes to make outfits and sometimes involved their cousin Michele.
Those childhood performances were simple, spontaneous, and homemade. Still, they planted the first seeds of Connie’s interest in acting. A living room could become a theater, a creek could become a border between kingdoms, and an old dress could transform a child into a character.
Linda appears to have given her daughters room to imagine while also keeping education at the center of family life. Connie later recalled that college was treated as a certainty, even as her parents supported her growing interest in drama.
Linda’s Work in Education and Community Life
After raising her daughters, Linda continued working in fields connected to education and care. She served as a substitute teacher and volunteered in schools. She also became a trustee of Seven Hills School in Lynchburg, contributing to the institution’s educational direction.
Her work extended beyond children. In Akron, Ohio, she directed the West Knoll Eldercare Center, an adult day care center. This role brought together the qualities that marked much of her life: organization, compassion, patience, and a practical concern for the well being of others.
Linda’s achievements were not measured by awards or public recognition. They were visible in classrooms, school meetings, care facilities, and family routines. Her contribution resembled a foundation beneath a house. It was not always seen, but it supported everything built above it.
Connie Britton’s Childhood and Early Imagination
Connie grew up with a close but sometimes competitive relationship with Cynthia. Like many twins, the sisters shared an intense bond while also developing separate identities. Their childhood included arguments, mischief, and creative collaboration.
Connie remembered being the bossy, outspoken twin as a child. The sisters fought passionately but played together constantly. Connie breaking a ukulele over Cynthia’s head during a fight is a dramatic example of their intensity and humour.
In Lynchburg, Connie attended E. C. Glass High. She attended a small private girls’ school before that, but a strong West Side Story production at the public high school changed her life. She became interested in the school’s theatre program and was encouraged by Mr. Ackley, a theatre teacher.
The atmosphere of the drama department appealed to her. It was energetic, welcoming, and full of possibility. Connie performed in several school productions and took the lead in Hello, Dolly! at about age 16. Her mother was proud of the performance.
In high school, Connie swam and worked at a ladies’ clothes boutique. That employment taught her to watch people, their appearance, and how clothing affects personality. Later, an actor who relies on emotional detail and observation used such skills.
From Lynchburg to Dartmouth
Connie graduated from high school around 1985 and attended Dartmouth College. She graduated in 1989 with a major in Asian Studies and a focus on Chinese. She also studied abroad in Beijing during one summer, alongside future United States senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
It wasn’t her college career goal to act. After a break, she returned to theatre and took acting seriously. Her childhood imaginative freedom and education rigour complemented her development.
After then, she appeared in Friday Nite Lights, Nashville, Spin City, The White Lotus, and others. She played loving, resilient, witty, and emotionally sensitive ladies, which viewers liked. Her Southern upbringing and Linda and Allen’s familial surroundings may explain those traits.
The Family Members at a Glance
| Family member | Relationship | Notable details |
|---|---|---|
| Linda Jane Womack | Mother | Educator, school volunteer, trustee, and eldercare director |
| Allen Womack | Husband and father | Physicist and energy company executive |
| Connie Britton | Daughter | Actress born Constance Elaine Womack |
| Cynthia Womack Boyle | Daughter | Connie’s fraternal twin sister |
| Eyob Britton | Grandson | Adopted by Connie from Ethiopia in 2011 |
| Matthew, Allison, and Lindsay Boyle | Grandchildren | Children of Cynthia Womack Boyle |
Linda’s Final Years and Legacy
Linda died in Lynchburg on February 28, 2005, at the age of 62. She was buried in the First Presbyterian Church Columbarium in Lynchburg. Allen survived her by about three years and died in 2008 after health problems associated with leukemia.
A memorial fund was later established in Linda and Allen’s names to support the restoration of the Academy Music Theatre in Lynchburg. The memorial reflected the couple’s connection to education, culture, and civic life.
Linda’s descendants went their own ways. Connie became a famous actress and adopted her Ethiopian son Eyob in 2011. She discusses preserving his culture through travel, education, and open dialogue. Cynthia, subsequently Cynthia Womack Boyle, reared three children in McLean, Virginia.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Linda Jane Womack?
Linda Jane Womack was an educator, school volunteer, community leader, and mother. She was born Linda Jane Cochran in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1942 and became the mother of actress Connie Britton and her twin sister, Cynthia.
When did Linda Jane Womack marry Allen Womack?
Linda married Edgar Allen Womack Jr. on December 28, 1963, in New Haven, Connecticut. They remained married until Linda’s death in 2005.
How many children did Linda and Allen Womack have?
They had two children, fraternal twin daughters Connie Womack, later known professionally as Connie Britton, and Cynthia Womack, later Cynthia Womack Boyle.
Where did Connie Britton grow up?
Connie spent part of her early childhood in the Rockville, Maryland, area before moving with her family to Lynchburg, Virginia, at about age seven. Lynchburg became the primary setting for her childhood and early theatrical interests.
What did Linda Womack do professionally?
Linda taught at Chestnut Hill School, worked as a substitute teacher, volunteered in schools, served as a trustee of Seven Hills School, and directed the West Knoll Eldercare Center in Akron, Ohio.
Did Linda Jane Womack have a connection to the singer Linda Womack?
No public family connection has been established between Linda Jane Womack, Connie Britton’s mother, and the singer Linda Womack associated with Womack and Womack. They were different people.
Who is Eyob Britton?
Eyob, also called Yoby, is Connie Britton’s adopted son. Connie adopted him from Ethiopia in 2011 when he was an infant and has emphasized the importance of honoring his cultural background.
