Patricia A. Linley

With tremendous sadness, the Linley family must announce that Patricia Ann Linley has gone to sleep in death. Patricia was a loyal and loving wife, a truly amazing mother, and an adoring grandmother. Her faith in our God, Jehovah; the ransom sacrifice of his son, Jesus Christ; and the promised future resurrection was unshakable and infectious. She died peacefully in her sleep at PA Peterson nursing home in Rockford, Illinois on December 28, 2024.

Patricia was born on March 4, 1934 in Rockford, Illinois to parents Clarence J. Holmes and Cora Ann (Chappell) Holmes. She was the third of six children. She attended Rock River Elementary, Lincoln Middle School, and East High School in Rockford. In addition to caring for eleven children, she often worked secular jobs to help with the family income; she worked as a factory worker, a very successful sales manager, and a highly-valued home cleaning professional.

When she was just fifteen years old, she was taking in a movie with some friends at the Rialto movie theater in Rockford when she felt a gentle tug on the back of her hair. She turned around and saw a handsome young man smiling from the seat behind her. He was trying to flirt with her by playing with her hair. It wasn’t long before he leaned forward and whispered, “Could I sit there in the empty seat next to you?” She replied, “Well, you paid for your ticket. So, I guess you can sit wherever you want to.” That handsome young man turned out to be the love of her life, Paul Linley. It wasn’t long before they fell deeply in love and, at the ages of just 16 (her) and 18 (him), they were married in Pocahontas, Arkansas, on April 29, 1950. They were married for nearly 71 years and produced 11 children together in Rockford, Illinois.

On October 6, 1962, she was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She treasured her relationship with our God, Jehovah, and she took every opportunity to talk to people about Him and his purpose to restore this earth to a beautiful paradise filled with peaceful people who love Him and want to obey Him. She instilled strong faith in her children and she strengthened the faith of all who knew her. For most of her life, she was a member of the South Congregation in Rockford, Illinois. However, at the age of 76, she heard that there was a need for preaching in Ash Flat, Arkansas. So, she and Paul moved there and attended and encouraged the Ash Flat congregation for seven years until they had to move back to Rockford for health reasons. She is dearly loved by all whose lives she has touched and she will be greatly missed until the time of the resurrection when she will certainly answer her Master’s call.

Patricia will be dearly missed by her children Cora (Rick) Stamler, John (Patti) Linley, David (Mona) Linley, Mark (Lori) Linley, Darla (Dan) Jacobson, Danny (Meghan) Linley, Regina (Scott) Wells, Lori Linley, Michael (Sundown) Linley; siblings Kenneth Holmes, Gerald Holmes, Beverly Ann Moore; grandchildren, Joshua, Austin, David, Jeremy, Adam, Michelle, John, Tiffany, Amy, Joshua, Jennifer, Annie, Dustin, Abigail, Nicholas, Matthew, Ashley, Anna, Angela, Jacob, Daimon, Abby, Ashley, Sarah, Zachary, Kyla, Noah, Connor, and Nathaniel; over 30 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews and so many friends. She was predeceased by her husband Paul Linley; sons Paul P. Linley, Jr. and Keith Linley; parents Clarence J. Holmes and Cora Ann (Chappell) Holmes; siblings Martha Soldin and Clarence “Dodo” Holmes; and 2 grandchildren Stacy Ann and Andrew Paul Linley.

The Linley family would like to express a special thanks to the caregivers at PA Peterson and Northern Illinois Hospice for the loving tenderness that they showed to our mother. Thank you so much!

A Memorial Service will take place for Patricia at 12:00PM on January 11, 2025 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 2916 Chadwick Dr, Rockford, IL 61109. Visitation with family starting at 11:00AM. To send online condolences, please visit www.fitzgeraldfh.com.