Linda Sue Collier, was born April 30, 1956, third of four children, to the late Robert Leonard and Antoinette Marie Sgarlata Collier and passed away, Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at Rowlett, Texas.
Visitation will be from 1:00 P.M. until 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston, MO. Graveside services will follow at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery near Charleston with the Rev. Michael W. Brewer, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Charleston officiating.
Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com

Linda is survived by her sister Cathy Woodson and her husband Keith of Rowlett, TX; brother, Bob Collier and wife Janet of Spring City, TN, sister Carol Sparks and her husband Gary of Camden, TN and her brother by marriage – Clint Woodson and his wife Becky of Rowlett, TX. Nieces Anni Germscheid of Rockwall, TX, Kelsie Woodson of Rowlett, TX, Kristi Woodson of Dallas, TX and Kim Reitz of St Louis, MO. Nephews Chris Collier of Huntsville, AL, Scott Collier of Austin, TX and Major Luke Sparks of Ft. Meade, VA. And many other extended family and friends.

Linda was raised on a small farm in Bertrand, MO until 1981 when her mom passed. Linda then came to live with her sister Cathy in Sikeston, MO. We lost our dad in 1983.

In 1986, Linda moved to Rowlett, TX with us (Cathy, Keith and Anni). As a new mom, with no mom, Linda was the best support I could have ever hoped for! When Anni, and later Kelsie born in 1992, would be inconsolable, all I'd have to do is hand them to Linda to rest on her soft sweet comforting shoulder and they would immediately quiet down and absorb her peacefulness.

Back in the day when we only had a few tv stations, Linda was a talking tv guide! She knew what show was on which station at what time! She had the memory of an elephant.....and it was no fun playing memory with her, she always won!

Linda began working at Dallas Center for Developmentally Disabled in 1986 under the loving direction of Ms Diana Cortez. When Linda would bring home her small semiweekly paycheck, she always wanted to celebrate by taking us out to eat and paying for a portion of dinner with her own money, that always made her so happy!

Every morning when I'd gently wake Linda for work, before she'd even open her eyes, she'd smile and say "you pretty!" She always started my day with a loving smile and a hug.

Linda was a member of the Rylie Rounder Special Olympic team in Mesquite, TX for 20 years under the direction of God-sent Ms Louise Elam. Linda participated in track and field events in addition to bowling. She won many trophies and medals!

At one of Linda's Special Olympics banquets, Ms TX was there and I found her crying in the hallway. I asked if I could help her and she said that she'd never had such special and sincere hugs. I'm so blessed that I was able to have those hugs every single day.

Linda was a beast when it came to card and board games - she was so competitive! Her favorite board game was Sorry and she took great joy in knocking you off and sending you back to start. Her favorite card game was UNO, she was such fun! I find myself smiling as I write these sweet memories that I'll cherish forever. Linda loved making latch hook rugs too, she'd sit for hours and sort the yarn into colors and work on her masterpieces.

In 2006 Linda was diagnosed with Alzheimer's but her spirit never wavered. Linda touched everyone's heart with whom she came into contact with, with her never ending happiness, warm hugs, high fives and her contagious laugh. Linda never met a stranger, she had love in her heart for everyone she met. She had a peaceful comforting soul that put people at ease and they always fell in love with her.

Throughout Kelsie's high school dance time, dancers and parents loved Linda. She loved watching Kelsie's dance videos, she thought it was so cool that Kelsie was on TV!

Linda would go to Target every weekend with me to shop and buy groceries. This was one of her favorite weekly outings, she always looked forward to it. The 'Target Ladies' who passed out food samples, fell in love with Linda and always enjoyed her visits. If Linda wasn't with me, they never failed to ask about her.

Linda has had some of the best loving care from doctors and staff over the past and I'd like to mention just a few of them by name - Dr. Les Sandknop and staff, Dr. Vivyenne Roche and UTSW staff, Lakepoint Medical staff, Sr. Care Center staff and everyone with Season's Hospice. Two other organizations that I want to mention are Mosaic and Dallas Center. We were blessed to have been able to work with Mosaic these past two years and have met some amazing individuals that I am proud to know. The staff at Dallas Center…I don't even have the words to express how important they were to Linda and me during her 26 years with them. Linda would literally fight me if she had a cold and needed to stay home from Dallas Center, work was her life and she loved her team at work.

Since Linda has been with hospice care, I would whisper in her ear "it's ok to go with mom and dad" and then without opening her eyes, she would point upwards as if to say "silly Cathy, they're already here, don't you see them!"

We all have a choice to make -- mourn our loss or be thankful that we had her all these years. I choose to be thankful. Yes I hurt, my heart aches and I'm sad but at the same time I'm so very thankful that God blessed me and my family with Linda all these years.

I'd like to close with this poem that I saw so many years ago, it gives my heart a smile...

HEAVEN'S VERY SPECIAL CHILD

A meeting was held quite far from Earth
It was time again for another birth.

Said the Angels to the Lord above –
"This special child will need much love.

"Her progress may be very slow
"Accomplishment she may not show.

"And she'll require extra care
"From the folks she meets down there.

"She may not run or laugh or play
"Her thoughts may seem quite far away

"So many times she will be labeled
"'different,' 'helpless' and disabled.

"So, let's be careful where she's sent.
"We want her life to be content.

"Please, Lord, find the parents who
"Will do a special job for you.

"They will not realize right away
"The leading role they are asked to play.

"But with this child sent from above
"Comes stronger faith, and richer love.

"And soon they'll know the privilege given
"In caring for their gift from heaven.

"Their precious charge, so meek and mild
"Is heaven's very special child."