Linda Kay Durrant Kearl

Linda Kay Durrant Kearl was born January 13, 1948, in Logan, Utah, to Beth Elaine Workman and William J. Durrant. The second oldest girl with an older sister, younger sister, and two younger brothers, Linda was raised spending time with her many aunts and uncles from old Park City to Ogden and Logan. She was known as a kind-hearted girl, a bright light in her family, always eager to help others.

Linda enjoyed sewing and crocheting, hobbies that she did throughout her life. She loved music, collecting the latest records, and singing with her two sisters. She participated in many social clubs at Logan High School. She was a life-long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

While working at the A&W as a carhop in Logan, she met Jim Kearl, the student body president from rival high school Sky View. Jim worked to win her over and they dated until Jim left on his two-and-a-half year mission to the Southern Far East Mission, Philippines zone. Linda entertained more than a few boyfriends and proposals while writing to Jim, but ultimately he won out, and they married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1969.

When her father Bill gave his blessing to their engagement, he had one requirement: that she finish her college degree. Linda earned her bachelor's degree in education at Utah State University, making her the first in her family to complete college, and giving her a lifelong love of teaching children. She set up many play groups with other neighborhood moms making sure her own kids always had hands-on art projects, books, and crafts.

After teaching for a year, Linda moved to Boston for Jim's graduate school and gave birth to Jocelyn in 1972 and Candace three years later. During those years, she spent summers back in Utah helping her ailing mother, Beth, who struggled with physical and mental health issues. Her mother died when Linda was only 28 years old. Linda stepped in to the role of matriarch to bring her siblings and later her new stepmother's family together during summer picnics and holidays. She also enjoyed weekly lunches with her father Bill who lived until the age of 93.

After Jim's job took them back to Utah more permanently in 1977, Linda gave birth to Derek and managed three children in a small 2-bedroom apartment in south Provo. Eventually, Jim and Linda bought their starter home in the Pleasant View 5th Ward neighborhood in 1980, and soon after came the twins, Jonathan and Tyler.

Linda always took great pride in her children, supporting them through violin and piano lessons, sports practices, and homework. Although she was a next-level worrier, she navigated the stress of five kids usually with great composure and poise.

When the Kearl kids were more self-sustainable, she resumed working at Rock Canyon Elementary School to help the kids that needed just a little extra attention. Linda was able to enjoy more time with her ward friends, including book clubs and Curves. She and Jim eventually built their dream home on Iroquois Drive.

Linda always kept a clean and beautiful home, including dozens of plants, her favorite being orchids. She hosted many Relief Society backyard parties, temple nights, BYU Econ department and Jerusalem Center staff parties, and many, many family dinners. From rentals in Boston and Washington, D.C. to our family homes in Provo, Linda created inviting environments, complete with a Tupperware full of cookies, where her kids and her kids' friends wanted to hang out.

She enabled Jim to travel and pursue his interests and collections, which unfortunately (for her) included African masks. She dealt with this by dressing the largest mask with a Santa hat every year. A small but meaningful protest.

With Jim, Linda traveled to dozens of states and more than 40 countries, including picking up her missionaries in Argentina, Spain, and twice to Moscow, Russia. Her favorite destinations were Alaska and any place that wasn't hot and humid. Linda enjoyed collecting art for their home from their many travels. Girls’ trips with Grandma Kearl to Jackson Hole and Branson created lasting memories with her sisters-in-law. She made every trip lugging her not-so-small carry-on toiletry bag with plenty of hairspray in tow. Her hair was perfect. On every continent. On Parisian and Jerusalem streets. On Caribbean cruises and Mexican beach vacations. Always.

More than any other quality, Linda was known for her kind heart and ability to unconditionally love. She served for more than a decade as her ward's compassionate service leader. If she couldn't find another sister to deliver a meal, she would do it herself. She made hundreds of receiving blankets and burp clothes for neighborhood newborns. She volunteered serving meals weekly to those in need at the Food & Care Coalition for more than 10 years.

Linda had a special place in her heart for her 14 grandchildren: Noah, Ava, Luke, Christian, Will, Bennett, Evan, Kate, James, Violet, Jane, Hazel, Elinor, and Lizzy. She always had toys, Legos, and new yard games when they came to visit, and a freezer full of Creamies and ice cream. Some of our best memories with Linda were on family reunions, including her favorite to Glacier National Park.

While the younger grandchildren didn't get nearly enough time to know their grandmother Linda in her prime, we want them to know that she leaves a legacy and high standard of kindness and caretaking. She was always looking out for others. She found her joy in service. She saw a need and unselfishly filled it.

In 2017, Linda was diagnosed with Alzheimer's which stunned all of us and altered our family's life forever after. For a time, she enjoyed her independence, driving her usual circuit from Days Market to Curves and other familiar places. When she gave up her keys, her ward friends and kids stepped in to take her out to lunch, for pedicures, and to Curves. We also picked up the slack to plan Sunday dinners and holiday gatherings, making time to be with her as much as possible. Many days were spent putting puzzles together, coloring, painting by number, making fleece blankets, and taking walks.

During Covid, Jim and Linda discovered many Utah highways and byways where together they caught the birdwatching bug, scanning wetlands, lakes, and canyons. Those trips were complete with McDonald's quarter pounders, fries, and Diet Cokes. And on the best days in Linda's mind, an ice cream cone at the Red Barn.

Starting in 2021, Linda spent several days a week under the care of Julie Smith at Aspen Senior Center, enabling her to live at home while Jim continued to teach and manage the Jerusalem Center. The staff there was amazing and kept her busy and engaged with all kinds of activities.

Linda spent the last two years in the Sagewood memory care at Daybreak. As proof of her enduring kind heart, she won over the staff in spite of living with Alzheimer's. Joelle, Celeste, Kennidee, Brett, Damion, Arianna, Logan, Malina, Jordyn, Brandi, Giselle, Marissa, Mindy, and many others were her protectors, caretakers, and friends. We cannot thank them enough for recognizing Linda through the mask of Alzheimer's, sharing winks, jokes, smiles, and love. They told us countless times that Linda was their favorite, and while that was always nice to hear, it was amazingly easy to believe as we witnessed their angelic patient care for Linda every day — always delivered with palpable love and joy.

The family would like to thank Linda's ward friends who watched out for her as her disease progressed, taking her out to lunch, getting manicures, delivering birthday treats, and no doubt many other kindnesses that we didn't witness firsthand.

Her kids would like to thank everyone who has supported and continues to keep Jim busy, including his siblings, PV5 friends, university colleagues, and other longtime friends. This has been an incredibly difficult road to travel with Linda, and we would not be here without the village — each and every one of you.

Linda is survived by her husband, Jim, and her five children: Jocelyn (Lisa), Candace (David), Derek (Jenny), Tyler (Lindsey), Jonathan (Sara); her 14 grandchildren: Noah, Ava, Luke, Christian, Will, Evan, Bennett, Kate, James, Violet, Hazel, Jane, Elinor, and Lizzy. She is also survived by her sisters, Jan Griffin and Elaine Jones; her step-siblings Julie Chappell, Marylee Scott, Jimmy Archibald along with her Kearl in-laws: Kris & Jerry Carlson, Laura & Ryan Larsen, Dan & Barbara Kearl, Jeff & Monica Kearl; and many adoring nieces and nephews.

Linda is preceded in death by her parents, Beth and Bill, and stepmother, Bette, along with her brothers, Brent, Steve, and Rich Durrant, and stepbrother, Steven Archibald.

________________________________________

A celebration of Linda's life will be held at the Pleasant View 5th Ward chapel at 2400 North 1060 East in Provo on Saturday, December 20, at 11 am. All are welcome to attend the service and reception afterward. Linda will be interred in the Providence City cemetery on Friday, December 19, with a private family graveside prayer.

In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting a cure for Alzheimer's in Linda's honor to the University of Utah's Neuroimaging and Biotechnology Lab (https://giving.utah.edu/funds/the-neuroimaging-and-biotechnology-lab-nibl/) or to the Utah Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association (https://www.alz.org/utah) or to your local soup kitchen.

For those interested in watching the service virtually, please reach out to [email protected] for the Zoom link.