Linda Maxwell Owen

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend - Linda was born on June 4, 1945 in Kilgore, Texas, and passed away Sunday, January 18, 2026, surrounded by her husband of 56 years, Walt, and two daughters, Laura and Elizabeth, in Bakersfield, California. Her parents were John William "Jack" Maxwell and Frances Marie (Weiser) Maxwell. Her younger brother is Mike Maxwell, and her younger sister is Carla (Maxwell) King, both of whom lovingly referred to her as "The Queen." Linda and her siblings grew up between dusty West Texas oil towns like Silver and Odessa, and the beautiful East Texas pine forests surrounding Tyler, and Gladewater, her parents' hometown.

At ten years old, Linda's family settled in Tyler, Texas, where Linda graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in 1963, and then attended Tyler Junior College. She earned her bachelor of arts in history in 1967 from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. Linda moved to Port Arthur, Texas, to begin her career as a junior high Texas and U.S. History teacher. Not long after she arrived, a teaching colleague thought she might get along well with a nice young man her husband worked with at the Texaco Refinery. And they were correct. So the Smiths set them up on a blind date, and thus sent them on a lifelong journey that spanned six decades and a good portion of the earth.

Linda married Walter Rankin Owen on July 12, 1969, in Dallas, Texas, and they made their home in Port Neches, where Linda continued to teach, and Walt continued to work at the refinery. In 1974, Linda and Walt welcomed their first daughter, Laura, and in 1976, their second, Elizabeth. By 1978, wanderlust and the opportunity of a lifetime took the Owen Four to the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, where Walt worked at the Aramco refinery, and the family settled into expat life in Ras Tanura, an Aramco compound located on the Persian Gulf Coast. From there, the Owen Four took advantage of travel opportunities, visiting and exploring countries from India to Hong Kong, Sweden to England, Spain to Greece, and Turkey to Kenya. After 8.5 years as Aramcons in the Kingdom, Walt and Linda moved their family back stateside and landed in Bakersfield, California, in 1986. They raised their daughters, put down roots, became members of a beloved community, and continue to live there today.

An active member of St. John's Lutheran Church, Assistance League of Bakersfield, a few quilting and sewing groups, and many different sets of dear friends, Linda made Bakersfield her home for forty years, and left an indelible mark on all whose lives she touched with her beautiful smile, sweet East Texas twang, her kindness and enduring friendship. As a wielder of a wicked sense of humor, and the occasionally unhinged cackle, Linda could enthusiastically hold forth, and regularly did, on all things Texan in general, and of Texan German Wendish Heritage in particular.

She is preceded in death by her beloved parents, Jack and Frances, her favorite Uncle Ralph, and numerous grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews, and cousins. She is survived by her husband and partner in life, Walt, and by her children: Laura Oesch (Shem) and Elizabeth Coffey (Paul); her brother Mike, sister Carla (Gary), sister-in-law Carolyn Thiessen (Brian); grandchildren Anna, Nathaniel, and Lucille Oesch; and Ronan and Finn Coffey. She is also survived by her dear cousins Chris Weiser (Margo), and Cassie Herrington (Mike); Pam Lipp (Doug) and Mary Camin.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, January 30, at 11am, at St. John's Lutheran Church, 4500 Buena Vista Rd, Bakersfield, CA 93311. Reception luncheon immediately following in the adjacent fellowship hall.

Memorials in honor of Linda are invited to be directed to the endowment fund for St. John's Lutheran Church, Bakersfield, or to Operation School Bell via The Assistance League of Bakersfield. Linda Maxwell Owen Bakersfield -