With hearts heavy yet full of love, we say goodbye to Linda Ann Pattenden, who passed from this life on 29 January 2025. The loss is profound, and the space she leaves behind can never truly be filled. For too long, she was held captive by the cruel grasp of frontotemporal lobe dementia, a silent thief that stole her words, her freedom, and the pieces of a life so beautifully lived. But now, at last, she is free—free to laugh, to dance, and to be herself once more.

Linda was born on 17 January 1957 in Gibraltar, a child of the sea and the sun. The daughter of John Frederick Williams and Margaret Mary Smith, she grew up with her beloved sister Katherine, carrying in her heart the memory of their eldest sister, Christine, who was lost at birth. Linda idolized her father, whose quiet strength and unwavering commitment to his choices shaped the very core of who she was. From her mother, she learned the art of kindness, the power of loyalty, and the sacred duty of family.

From an early age, Linda shone. At Broomfield Secondary School, she was not only head girl, but a fierce and talented netball player, a leader among her peers, and a force to be reckoned with both on and off the court. She excelled in all she did, embracing life with the same energy and determination that would later define her as a wife, mother, and grandmother.

But Linda’s love of competition and strength was matched by a boundless joy. She had music in her heart and rhythm in her soul. Raised on ballroom dancing, she adored being waltzed across the dance floor by Shaun, her eternal partner. Their love was a dance in itself—graceful, steadfast, and filled with moments of quiet beauty. But just as much as she loved a slow, sweeping waltz, there was nothing quite like the opening beats of “Tiger Feet” to send her racing to the dance floor, ready to tear it up with uncontainable energy.

It was at school that fate brought Linda and Shaun together. Though they were from different social circles, a simple exchange of words one day changed everything. “With a brief exchange of words, we connected in a way that I was never to forget and that would change my life for the good,” Shaun recalled. From that moment on, their lives became intertwined, leading them to marry on 10 September 1977, a love story sealed not just in time, but in eternity.

Linda’s faith was not just a part of her life—it was her foundation. Of her spiritual journey, Shaun said, “Lyn was born to be a Latter-day Saint. I feel honored that I took part in the next few most important years of her life when she found what I believe she was destined to achieve—to be a member and a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to be set on a lifetime of dedication and faithful service.” Together, Linda and Shaun built a life centered on faith, unity, and a deep commitment to their family.

But Linda’s greatest calling—the one she cherished above all—was motherhood. She devoted herself to raising her five children—Timothy, Rachel, Christopher, Stuart, and Alice—with boundless love and unwavering dedication. She was their rock, their protector, their greatest champion. Fiercely loyal and endlessly giving, there was nothing she would not do for her family. She fought for them, nurtured them, guided them—always present, always believing in them, always loving.

As her family grew, so did her joy. Her nine grandchildren—George, Hannah, Justin, Millie, Grace, Caleb, Hope, Evie, and David—became the light of her life. To them, she was Nannie, a source of warmth, laughter, and the kind of love that never fades.

The final years of Linda’s life were marked by a struggle that no strength could overcome. Yet, even as dementia sought to steal her essence, it could never take the love she carried for her family or the legacy of devotion she built throughout her life. And now, she is free—free to be herself again, to dance once more, and to watch over those she loved so fiercely.

Shaun expressed it best when he said, “I write of my wife today to preserve and pay tribute to a most wonderful and marvelous eternal partner. The feelings that I experienced when we first met led me to the realization that I would like to be with this young girl forever.”

Linda leaves behind a lifetime of love, faith, and family—a legacy that will live on in the hearts of those who knew her. She is survived by her devoted husband, Shaun, her sister Katherine, her five children, and her treasured grandchildren.

Her funeral service will be held on Monday, 10 February 2025, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Chorley, in the shadow of the holy temple—a place that represents her unshakable belief in eternal families.

We will gather to honor her, to remember her, and to celebrate the incredible woman she was. Though she has left our sight, she will never leave our hearts.

Until we meet again, Linda—dance freely, love fiercely, and know that you are cherished beyond words.