Linda Joyce (Billings) Knavel Obituary (1941 - 2021)

Linda Joyce (Billings) Knavel, our beautiful mother, joined our dad (George) in heaven on Friday, Aug. 27th after a 2-year battle with colon cancer. She had just celebrated her 80th birthday in March. Mom was at her daughter's home in Syracuse, Utah, surrounded by her family at the time of her passing. Mom was born in Santa Maria, California, to D.D. & Carma Billings on March 27, 1941. The family later moved to Salt Lake City and then to Brigham City, Utah. Mom attended and graduated from Box Elder High School and LDS Seminary. While in school she met and dated George R. Knavel. They were married in 1958 later to be sealed in the Salt Lake temple. Mom spent her time at home as a mother first and foremost. She was an excellent homemaker in every way and was always proud of her crafts and amazing food storage. Mom never missed an event, concert, game, speech, play or anything else her children were involved in. She was a sweet and caring mother, always looking after her children's needs while providing an abundance of love and spirituality. Mom tended many other children in her home, whom she also nurtured and loved. Mom was very active in the community serving in leadership positions with Heritage Community Theatre, Ladies Community Club, the Cecilian Music Society, Utah Homemakers, American Legion Auxiliary, PTA, and many others. She also won many civic awards including Utah Homemaker of the Year in 1978. Mom was an active and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She loved the gospel and had a strong and beautiful testimony. She believed with all her heart that we have a loving Heavenly Father and that through His son Jesus Christ we can return to Him as families to live in a state of never-ending happiness. Mom served in many church callings throughout her life including leadership callings and service in the Relief Society, Young Women's, Primary, Young Adults, was a Gospel Doctrine Teacher, Ward Music Director, Homemaking Leader, Camp Director, and had many other service opportunities. She served for 7 years as an ordinance worker in the Brigham City, Utah, temple with our father. They so loved this amazing opportunity and were called as temple workers at its opening in August of 2012. Mom was called to serve as a CES - Special Needs Institute Teacher (missionary) and served in that position for over 24 years. She loved her special needs friends so very much! Mom loved her family above anything else in life. Spending time with us was her first love. Playing games, family dinners, plays, special events, walks, long talks, anything she could do with her family was all she really wanted. Mom especially loved traveling with her family and had many wonderful trips to church history sites, Alaska, New York, Disneyland, Europe, & China. Her most memorable and special trip was to Israel with her entire family for their 50th wedding anniversary in 2008. Among her other hobbies were reading (she averaged over 100 books per year) collecting dolls, word games, shopping, music, and her extremely detailed daily journal writing. Linda was preceded in death by her parents Darius David & Carma Billings, a brother Curtis Billings, and a son Troy, who died as an infant. She is survived by her sister Pam Petersen, and her children Jana (Reese) Nelson, Chad (Patricia) Knavel, Amy (Jim) Johnson, Jill (Brett) Rich, Ryan (Brittany) Knavel, 23 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. A viewing will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 1st from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Myers Mortuary (205 S. 100 E. in Brigham City). The Funeral will be held on Thursday, September 2, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Brigham City 13th Ward building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (25 N 300 E). There will be a live stream of the funeral service available via Zoom - Meeting ID: 884 5226 9920 - Passcode: 151317. There will be an additional viewing preceding the funeral at the church building from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. on Thursday after which immediate family will have a special time to say goodbye from 10:30 - 11:00 a.m. The family kindly asks all attending the viewing to wear face masks to protect our sister Jana, who has just undergone a bone marrow transplant. Interment will be held at the Brigham City, Utah, cemetery. We wish to express sincere gratitude to all the wonderful caregivers who helped take care of our mom during her 2-year long battle with cancer.