Linda Douthit

Linda Jean Douthit, 85, of China Spring, passed away Wednesday, February 28, 2024 at a local hospice facility.

Funeral Service: 10AM Monday, March 4 at Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at Waco Memorial Park.
Visitation: 3 to 5PM Sunday, March 3 at Lake Shore Funeral Home.

Linda was born December 3, 1938 in Waco to Linton Tyler “Buck” and Virginia Imogene “Gene” (Thomas) Buckner. She a proud graduate of Baylor University where she received her Bachelors in English Literature and Education.  Her passion for correct grammar and stellar typing skills was not only a field of study but also a lifelong pursuit.  She went on to teach thousands of students in her 43 year career branching across Central Texas.  She cherished each student she ever served including those from University High School, Connally ISD, LaVega ISD, and finally China Spring ISD; even the ones who put scorpions in her desk.

China Spring is where the Lord planted her roots.  Linda was proud of the homestead her and Lonnie built and cultivated there.  It’s the place where she raised her family, and spoiled several generations of grandchildren.  One of Linda’s most prized accomplishments was her Annual Staff, which she oiled into perfection.  Many years of the China Spring Yearbook were memorialized under her watchful eye, and aren’t we lucky that they will live on forever.  The China Spring Tabernacle is also the location of the highly secret Civic Club meetings she attended.  I’m not sure any of us know what she actually did with all her girlfriends there, but it sure made her happy.

Linda also had a whole community of friends in her home away from home, Silverton, Colorado.  Like clockwork, across many decades, you could find Linda, Lonnie, and their pets on the four-wheeler passes way up in the mountains.  She made sure to share her adventures with her family and friends, inviting them along to pan for gold, eat the world’s best funnel cakes, and to enjoy many meals cooked in cast iron while sitting at the same well-worn picnic tables over the years.  She may have considered herself the Zilch and Chickenfoot queen, but her title is quite contested by those who love her most.

Linda loved things, lots of things, gently put- if you needed something, she probably had it in all the colors and sizes, with duplicates to spare.  It is part of what made her most endearing and also sometimes stubborn.  One of the things she loved most was her books.  She wasn’t a snob and collected anything with words, but her favorite by far were her books about romance, followed closely by her books with twisting mysteries to solve.  Watching her and Lonnie’s love of reading encouraged that same love amongst those who looked up to them.

In her later years, Linda decided to tackle the world wide web.  All was going well until she met Facebook.  Quickly, Facebook rivaled her one other life-long addiction: Dr. Pepper.  Her active “green light” was always glowing, giving a new meaning to “burning the midnight oil”.  More times than any of us would like to admit, she figured out how to add something (by accident), but never mastered the delete function.  This led to several jaw-dropping memories that are best left undisclosed.  However, Facebook is also the place where you can learn all about her loves, her quirks, her humor, and everything else under the sun.  She captured herself better than any of us ever could.

Linda was a member of Bosqueville Baptist Church.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws, Connie and Lola Douthit; brother, George Buckner; step-daughter, Kim Girard; granddaughter, Shelby Jo Helona; and great grandson, Leighton Richard Brantner.

Those left to cherish her memory are her husband of 65 years, Lonnie Joe Douthit; daughter, Laurie Jo Helona; step-daughter, Lea Black and husband Roy; granddaughters, Fallon Brantner and husband Kyle, Hillary Helona, and Celissa Jackson; grandsons, RJ Black, Brandon Girard, and Shannon Girard; great-grandchildren, Seiver Sandoval, Mikaela and Michael Ruiz, Jr., Kyler and Amity Brantner; and great great-granddaughter, Adelaide McKay; as well as many other extended family members.

Pallbearers will be Kyle Brantner, Chad Boen, Michael Ruiz, Jr., Jacob McKay, Randy Westbrook, and Ronnie Stevenson.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Linda’s honor to The Humane Society of Central Texas, 2032 Circle Rd, Waco, TX 76706.

Place of Service: Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel , 5201 Steinbeck Bend; Waco, TX 76708