Linda Rae Sealy Ottley

On Friday afternoon, December 3, 2021 Linda Ottley was called back to her heavenly home surrounded by her family. Linda was described by all who knew her as an angel on earth, a patient teacher, a loving mother, one who continually lifted all around her. She was a person who never gave up, despite the challenges life threw at her. One of her life philosophies was, “True living is in the giving. Giving of yourself. And while service itself conjures up images of physical labor—which is a needed important attribute—giving is about love.”

Linda was born May 19, 1951, the third child of Leon Milton Sealy (1922-2011) and Shirley Mae Phippen Sealy (1922-2015). Linda was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, but spent summers with her family in Bear Lake, Utah. This became a beloved place for her and her children and inspired her love of the lore of the Bear Lake Monster. She was even featured in a documentary about the legendary beast.

Linda grew up in the same neighborhood with her future eternal companion Dale Elden Ottley. She graduated from Skyline High in May of 1969, having excelled in pep club, choir, art, and creative writing. She then attended and later graduated from Brigham Young University majoring in Elementary Education with a Minor in Language Arts. In March of 1971, near the end of Linda’s sophomore year at BYU, Dale returned home from his mission in the Central California Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  They were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple on June 26, 1972. The couple made their first home in American Fork, Utah, building a new home a few years later in Highland, Utah.  They spent 49 years raising 6 children expanding through the years to also include 14 grandchildren.

The primary joy of Linda’s life was her husband and children. She loved being a mom and helped each of her children learn and progress. She said, “In my experience the most important ingredient in the parenting recipe is ‘unconditional love.’ I learned this truth through nurturing and raising six precious gifts from God.” She loved being a grandma, saying, “One of the perks of growing older is having grandchildren. They are truly the academy awards of parenting—the flower garden of life—with all of the fun and none of the responsibility.”

Linda loved words. She called herself “a word addict.” She was known for what she called her “Corny Poems” that she often penned following family holiday gatherings. She wrote short stories, essays, and poems, writing to express herself and with the hope of motivating and inspiring others on their life’s journey. She loved scriptures and quotes that spoke of belief, perseverance, light, life and love. All qualities she exuded in abundance. She loved books and was an avid reader, diligently recording favorite quotes from the books she read. She loved movies: movies based on true stories, romantic comedies, and especially musicals! Linda also loved music. She loved much of the music from her formative years, but also learned to love the music shared with her by her children, making her playlists truly unique.

Linda served faithfully in the church fulfilling many callings in Primary, Young Women’s, and Relief Society. She served for many years as the ward newsletter specialist. In her current ward, Linda was utilizing her writing talents while serving as the Ward History Specialist, creating the yearly ward history. She was also called as the Assistant Stake History Specialist. Newly called Ward Historians from other wards often sought out Linda’s expertise and advice.

Linda faced many challenges throughout her life with grace and dignity. In 1995 she began facing a number of mysterious health issues that would later be diagnosed as Lyme Disease. The tolls of this disease would later lead to her being bedridden. However, through it all, she remained a positive light to all around her. Of her trials she said, “This life was not meant to be easy. It was only meant to be a temporary university of learning while we’re away from our true home.”

Linda is survived by her husband Dale Ottley, her son Cordale (Janine), and 5 daughters: Aleesha, Rachel Ewell (Gordon), Elizabeth Griffiths (Casey), Ashley Dansie (Brett), and Mckenzie Wise (Derek). She is survived by her sister Loni Hatch (Blaine) plus 14 grandchildren: Cayden (Lauren), Hannah (Taylor), Madelyn (Jacob), Eliza, Zander, Kazden, Acacia, Josh, Emmeline, Grace, Isaac, Daxton, Tanner, and Brody. Linda was preceded in death by her parents, Milton and Shirley Sealy, her sisters, Judy Maxfield, and Vicki Clayton and her brother, Devro Sealy.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 11, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. at the Highland Stake Center. (5335 West 11200 North, Highland, Utah) Family and friends may call Friday evening from 6:00-8:00 pm at the Warenski Funeral Home. (1776 North 900 East, American Fork, Utah) and also at an additional viewing on Saturday morning from 10:30-11:30 a.m. prior to services at the church. Interment will take place following the service at Highland Cemetery. 

Funeral services may be viewed virtually at: http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/Events/highlandutahstake

“When you begin counting your blessings there are always more ‘haves’ than ‘have nots.’ Just look around and open your eyes. Everything of beauty, everything He has made, is for us.”

 – Linda S. Ottley