Mrs. Linda Sartain Johnson

Linda Sartain Johnson, 72, of Pine Island Point, passed from this life on June 2, 2018 at Serenity Place in Fort Payne, Alabama. Linda was born in Birmingham on October 22, 1945 to Leonard and Lorene Sartain. She grew up in Oakman, Alabama before attending the University of Alabama, where she received her Bachelor’s, Masters and Ed.S degrees. As a result, Linda loved the Crimson Tide and all things Alabama. While Linda and her husband, Neal, were both students at the university, they met and fell in love. In 1965, they married and later had one daughter, Jan Johnson Owen. They moved to live on the Tennessee River in 1972. Linda was an educator for 34 years, teaching high school mathematics at KDS DAR High School for the majority of her teaching tenure. She was an innovative teacher that enjoyed using creative teaching methods to help her students learn. Many of her students remember fondly the projects she assigned such as the egg drop, building bridges out of toothpicks, writing poems from Geometry terms, and keeping a Geometry notebook. Linda loved not only to teach but to learn. She applied to be the first teacher in space and later attended Adult Space Camp. Linda loved to travel and have new adventures whenever she could. She often traveled out West to Montana and South Dakota on hunting excursions with her husband, Neal, where she hunted birds only with her camera. One time Linda traveled to Alaska for a fishing expedition where she served as a camp cook for the fisherman. She also enjoyed trips with her family to Pawley’s Island, S.C., Italy, and Ireland as well. Linda was a member of Grant First Baptist Church for 45 years where she served in many capacities. Through the years she served in Sunday School, youth ministry, Celebrate Recovery, Acteens, and many other areas. She was also involved in several mission trips to the Bahamas, Rwanda, and Guatemala and spent time volunteering with Christian Women’s Job Corp. She participated in the Emmaus Walk and enjoyed sponsoring friends to attend the retreat as well. Serving others was a hallmark of her life. Linda is survived by her husband Neal Johnson, daughter Jan Johnson Owen (Matthew Dennis) of Grant, brother Ronnie Sartain (Linda) of Gainesville, Florida, and grandchildren Maria Owen of Nashville, Tennessee, Philip Owen III, and Daniel Owen, both of Los Angeles, California. She is also survived by sisters-in-law Jane Johnson Mashburn (John) and Diane Sartain as well as her nieces Sara Walters (Bradley), Amy Messegee (Tom), Holly Border, (Dustin) and Misty Whisenhunt (Dustin). She was preceded in death by her parents Leonard and Lorene Sartain, her brother Kerry Sartain and her son-in-law Philip Owen, Jr. The family would like to give a special thanks to all of the wonderful caregivers that helped care for our beloved wife and mother. We were blessed by the staff at Serenity Place but especially want to thank Angie Tate, Mari Houston, Lisa Manus, Samantha Brown and Candace Hedden for their tireless love and tender, patient care. We also want to thank caregivers Maria Ramirez and Amber Adams who spent so many days helping with such joyous hearts. Finally, we thank Dee at Christy Care of Madison for providing many days of loving care. We are grateful for the help and support of all that helped us navigate this journey through Alzheimer’s disease. Linda will be remembered and celebrated on Wednesday, June 6th at 11:00 am at Grant First Baptist Church in Grant, Alabama. We hope all her friends and former students will join us. If you would like to honor Linda’s memory with a donation, the family is establishing the Linda Johnson Math Scholarship at KDS DAR School. Donations may be sent DAR Administration Office, 6077 Main Street, Grant, Alabama 35747 marked as Linda Johnson Math Scholarship. "With brave wings, she flies"

Mrs. Linda Sartain Johnson

October 22, 1945 - June 2, 2018