Linda Lamar Knowles Greathouse entered into the gates of Heaven on December 29th, 2023 at the age of 77. Linda was born on February 2nd, 1946, the only child of Lucille and A.T. Knowles. She grew up in the small town of Kemp, Texas. Generations of her family had lived in Kemp and this is the town she considered home her whole life. She often spoke fondly of her childhood, growing up with her cousins, aunts and uncles right next door to her family home. She had a very close relationship with her mother and grandmother, and she learned to sew from her Grandma Creecy. When Grandma Creecy got tired of operating the treadle of her sewing machine, little Linda would sit down on the floor and peddle for her. Linda had a passion for sewing and was an expert seamstress. When Linda sewed for people they felt her love in every stitch. Many days of her life she could be found in her sewing room making clothes, hemming hems, sewing countless curtains for anyone who asked, and making puppets for the church youth puppet ministry.
Linda graduated Salutatorian from Kemp High School in 1964. She married James Greathouse soon after graduating high school and, together, they attended East Texas State University (now Texas A&M University Commerce). She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1967 and then she and James moved back to Kemp where they began teaching. Linda continued her education, gaining her Masters of Education in 1971. She taught school for ten years, with her favorite grade level being 4th grade, before she became a stay-at-home mother until her children were grown. In 1969, James and Linda were blessed with a son, James Duff, and in 1973, a daughter, Janie Ruth, completed their family.
James and Linda bought the family-owned commercial door hardware business from Linda's father, A.T. Knowles, in 1977. Once all of her children were grown, she joined the family business as Account Manager until her retirement.
Steeped in a deeply rich family history of Christian faith, Linda lived the life of a Proverbs 31 woman. To her family, she was worth far more than rubies. Her children and grandchildren remember her as the perfect Mother and Mimi, always supporting them in their endeavors and showing up everytime they needed her. Linda was active in her local church most of her life and had a beautiful soprano singing voice. She often sang solos in church, was an active part of her church choir for many years, and knew the words to almost every hymn in the Baptist Hymnal. When asked what her favorite hymn was, she would simply say, "all of them." She was also an accomplished pianist and her children learned many hymns from her as she often played and sang them in her living room at the piano. Throughout the years, James and Linda enjoyed working with and teaching in church youth groups.  They taught various age groups in Sunday School and promoted a puppet ministry at Calvary Baptist Church in Kemp. She is a current member of First Baptist Church, Olney.
When James and Linda retired, they enjoyed many years traveling with their camping group who they considered to be their dearest friends. When her grandchildren came along, a new light shined bright in her life. Her grandkids knew they could always get pancakes at her house on Saturday mornings and fresh pumpkin or banana nut bread anytime they asked. Each year, for her grandchildren's birthdays, they often requested Mimi make her famous chocolate sheet cake. It tasted better to them than any store-bought decorated cake and she made it for most every family gathering.
To know Linda was to love her. She had a kind, gentle spirit and loved the Lord with all her heart. Her prayers were often in the quiet stillness by herself, but anyone who asked her to pray for them knew she was a prayer warrior and they were lifted up by her. Her words of wisdom were often sought by her children and grandchildren. Her wise words almost always led back to the Bible. She had an unwavering faith in her Lord, Jesus Christ and was never so happy as when her children and grandchildren accepted the Lord into their hearts as their Savior. Her favorite bible verse was John 20:29, "Then Jesus told him, 'Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'" Her faith is now sight, Praise the Lord!
Linda is survived by her children: son, Duff and wife, Brenda of Wichita Falls; daughter, Janie Ruth and husband, Brad Green of Olney; grandchildren, Clay Greathouse and wife, Miranda, Ty Green and wife, Bryanna (with baby Green on the way), Hank Greathouse, Madelyn Green, Sarah Green and Asa Greathouse. She had a very dear sister-in-law, whom she considered her sister, Barbara Jedlicka, of Kemp, three nieces, a nephew, a beautiful family of cousins she loved dearly and many friends. She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, James, her mother and father, Lucille and A.T. Knowles, her in-laws, Patty and Frank Greathouse, some of her dear cousins, aunts and uncles, and her brother-in-law, Don.
Visitation will be held Friday, January 5, 2024 from 6:00pm to 7:00pm at Lunn Funeral Home in Olney. A service to celebrate her life will be held at First Baptist Church in Olney on Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 2:00pm with Dr. Chad Edgington, pastor, officiating. She will be interred next to her husband, James, in Restland Cemetery under the direction of Lunn Funeral Home of Olney.

As Grandma Creecy would say, and Linda reiterated often, "Flowers are for the living, not the dead; give and enjoy them while you are living." Give the flowers to someone living that you love in honor of Linda. It would also be an honor for the family and Linda's memory if, in lieu of flowers, you would consider a contribution to one of the following:

·        Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 734, Olney, TX 76374 or to the Olney Community Library, 807 W Hamilton St, Olney, TX 76374.

·        Hospice of Wichita Falls was a blessing to both James and Linda and many other families who have needed comfort care for their loved ones nearing the end of life.  To give, visit www.howf.org/donate.