Linda Whitlock departed the world on June 19, 2026, but she leaves behind the lasting legacy of her kind spirit and loving heart.
Born on December 15, 1938, in Albia, IA, Linda lived most of her life here, attending Albia schools and graduating from high school in 1957. She went on to complete a secretarial program at Iowa Success School in Ottumwa. She spent her professional years working at the Iowa Department of Social Services, the office of Dr. Ray Avera and the Albia Public Library.
Linda married her soulmate and best friend, Herbert “Bert” Whitlock on June 12, 1960. There she found her life’s true passion, as a devoted wife and a doting mother to their two children, Randall and Laura.
She cherished spending time with her husband and children, and eventually with her beloved grandsons Nicholas and Vincent. Linda felt a special bond with her son in law Dave and became like a second mother to him. She relished traveling with Bert, seeing much of the country, often camping along the way. She enjoyed spending her free time crocheting, reading and baking. Her pies were legendary. She was a woman of faith and a member of the First Christian Church in Albia.
Linda was preceded in death by her beloved husband Bert; her parents, Lawrence and Lydia Bates; sister, Geraldine Ditterline; sister and brother-in-law, Madlyn and John Almond; brothers and sisters-in-law, Kenneth and Dorothy Bates, Gerald and Mildred Bates, and brother-in-law Vernon DeTar.
She is survived by son, Randall; daughter, Laura; son-in-law, Dave Charles; grandsons, Nicholas and Vincent Charles; niece, Karen Johannes, who was always more like a sister; sister-in-law, Becky DeTar; and many nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, from 12-2:00 p.m. at Sinnott Funeral Home in Albia. A celebration of Linda’s life will follow at 2:00 p.m. at the funeral home with Pastor John Sowers officiating. Please join us as we remember and celebrate Linda’s life. We invite you to leave your memories of Linda and upload photos to the memorial page. They will serve as comforting reminders of the sweet woman whose life we celebrate today. Linda may have left this world, but her spirit lives on in the hearts and minds of all those who had the privilege of knowing her.
