Linda Lillard Sears, 76

Linda Lee Sears, 76, of Ellenboro, passed away February 2, 2021 at Hospice of the Carolina Foothills in Forest City.
Linda was born March 26, 1944 at her grandparents’ home in Kahoka, MO., the daughter of the late William Leroy and Ethel Lucille (Heinze) Lillard.  She was the grand daughter of  the late Walter Daniel and Bertha Mae (Hamner) Heinze and Elston Willard and Lizzie Levo (Hodges) Lillard.
She married Larry Eugene Sears December 15, 1962, in Kahoka, MO. He preceded her in death on February 5, 2018. In addition to her husband, parents and grandparents, she was also preceded in death by her parents, four brothers-in-law, Wendell Jones, William Montgomery, Jack Simeral, and Jerry Sears, and two nephews, Jim Sears and Paul Jones.
Linda worked at Dryden’s in Keokuk in 1965 and again in 1976.  She was also an avid crafter and stay-at-home mom, and spent the last 50 years making beautiful handwoven rugs and piece-worked quilts, attending craft shows to sell her beautiful work and making many friends along the way.  She had an amazing eye for color and loved spending time with her fabrics and looms.  She loved cutting up fabric and redesigning those pieces into beautiful quilts.  She would also bring people into her home to share her love of weaving with others by teaching. Linda also enjoyed cooking and collecting cookbooks, and making up her own recipes, many of which have been requested by friends and family and are considered to be favorites.  She enjoyed gardening when she was able, and loved collecting different varieties of iris’.  She also got interested in working on her ancestral line in genealogy while in high school, and spent many years collecting information and piecing together stories of her family’s lineage.
Linda was also a devoted Jehovah’s Witness.  Despite suffering through health issues these past years, her faith in, and service to Jehovah never wavered.
She is survived by their three children, Sherri Lynne (Mike) Biddenstadt of Keokuk, IA, Vickie Lee (Kevin) Shaffer of Kahoka, MO., and David Eugene (Ashley) Sears of Forest City; four grandchildren, Anthony Biddenstadt, Tareyton Shoup, and Lyndsey and Katelyn Sears; three step-grandchildren, Michelle, Chris and Tiffany Shaffer; one great-grandson, Zaidyn Biddenstadt; five step-great-grandchildren, Alex Worrell, Heaton Sturm, and Lillian, Andrew and Brighley Shaffer; her sisters, Barbara (John) Bergman and Elizabeth Montgomery, a sister-in-law Ruth Sears, and several nephews.
No services are planned at this time. She has been cremated and her ashes will be scattered at a later date.
Washburn & Dorsey Funeral and Cremation Service is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences @washburndorsey.com.