Johnson City, TN/Coeburn, VA-Linda Walters Elkins, 86, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by her family on July 24, 2023 after a long battle with multiple myeloma. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and faithful friend to so many.
Linda graduated from Pound High School and held a Bachelor Degree from ETSU. She began her teaching career at St. Paul Elementary School, where she met her husband, Paul “Jake” Elkins, and they were married in 1961. After three years, they moved to Charlottesville, then Madison and Fredericksburg, then back to St. Paul. When they moved to Tacoma, Linda became a much beloved Special Ed teacher at Coeburn Primary School for 27 years until her retirement in 2003. She enjoyed traveling, especially her visits to New York, Italy and Austria. When she and Jake first saw “The Sound of Music”” in 1965, Jake promised her they would spend their 50th wedding anniversary in Salzburg where the movie was filmed, and they made that dream come true. Linda was an avid reader and a wonderful storyteller with a great and unique sense of humor. She was an active member of Norton Christian Church and a mighty prayer warrior for so many.
In addition to Jake, her husband of 62 years, Linda is survived by her daughter, Kimberly, son P.J., daughter Toni Katherine, and her adored grandchildren Bailey, Sophie, and Paola Kaitlyn. Linda is also survived by her sisters-in-law Carol and Betty Elkins, her brother-in-law Glenn Dalton, and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. Linda is preceded in death by her father and mother, Lawton and Altona Walters; her brothers Jack, Bob and Ned, and sisters-in-law Betty and Ruth.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at Norton Christian Church, 1341 Park Ave NW, Norton, VA 24273 with visitation at 1:00 p.m. and the service at 2:00 with pastor Jim Wells officiating. Linda will be interred at Temple Hill Cemetery in Castlewood. We express our deep appreciation to Amedisys Hospice and Linda’s nurse, Kim Brown.
Gilliam Funeral Home and Crematory is honored to serve the Elkins family.
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