Linda R. Bartlett was born to Edith and George Killen on August 3, 1947 in Tuscola, Illinois. She passed away peacefully, in her sleep, on April 4, 2017. She graduated from Atwood-Hammond High School and went on to obtained her Bachelor of Nursing Degree, after which she worked as a registered nurse for many years, caring for the elderly, a job she dearly loved. Following that, she worked for 22 years as the Director of Community Action for Piatt and Dewitt counties, fulfilling her passion for assisting others, particularly the elderly. Hundreds of families and individuals in both Piatt and Dewitt counties were provided access to financial assistance, home weatherization, and food maintenance through the many programs she administered.
Linda was the devoted wife of Ron Bartlett, whom she married on July 23, 1988. She was the kind and loving mother of Christine Warner-Northrup (Duane) of Mahomet and Dan Warner of Champaign, as well as step-mother of Justin Bartlett, whom she cared for deeply as well. She was the proud grandma of Madison Northrup, Peyton Northup and Kailyn Northrup, all of Mahomet. She often stated her grandchildren were the best thing that ever happened to her. She experienced pure joy playing with them, reading and watching movies, attending their many activities and, when she could no longer travel, watching videos of their various activities. She lived to see her oldest granddaughter’s acceptance to nursing school, an accomplishment that made her very proud, as well as her second granddaughter’s acceptance to college and her youngest grandchild receive her driver’s license, all of which brought a huge smile to her face. She was never happier than when surrounded by her three granddaughters, of each she referred to as a gift.
Linda was a champion and a voice for all those who could not be for themselves. She served as a member of the Illinois commissioned Domestic Violence Committee for several years. She was known to invite complete strangers to dinner, open her home to several adults with developmental disabilities who had no place to go for the holidays, and to work endless hours to ensure the families she worked with had the power, water, food and other essentials necessary to allow them to stay in their homes. Her friends were vast and spanned across different religions, races, cultures, ages, and economic status. Her heart was full when her home was full of family, friends and food to share. She was truly one of a kind.
Besides her husband, children and grandchildren, Linda is survived by her brother Tom Parks of Sullivan, Illinois and David “Darrell” Parks of Tucson, AZ. She was proceeded in death by her father and mother, as well as her beloved sister, Donna Fischer.
Services will be Monday, April 10, 2017 at the Mansfield United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 10-11 with services immediately following. A private, family burial will be held following the ceremony. The family asks, to honor Linda’s life of giving, that memorial contributions be made to the Mahomet-Seymour Social Work Fund to support the needs of many students and families in the district or to Crisis Nursery, in support of the babies she so lovingly adored.
