Linda Jean Smith Katwijk

December 10, 1957-May 10, 2026

Linda Jean Smith Katwijk passed away unexpectedly on Mother's Day morning, May 10, 2026 at the age of 68.

Born on December 10, 1957 in Provo, Utah to parents Starley and Irving Smith, Linda later moved to Corvallis, Oregon where she graduated from Crescent Valley High School in 1976. She married Kim Katwijk in Corvallis in 1978 and eventually settled in Olympia, Washington.

Linda spent countless hours tending her garden, she loved flowers, birds, and all of her many kitty cats. She loved to be in nature, going on walks with the people she cared about, and visiting the ocean as often as she could. She took notice of small wonders and would send her family cute videos pointing them out; a little green frog she spied, an interesting tomato she grew, a pretty rock she found, a new bird at her feeder.

Throughout her life Linda was always creating. She wrote poems, short stories, and composed songs and music. She was the self-appointed photographer of the family, wanting to record every precious moment.

Family was the center of her life. Linda raised nine children and never wavered in her love and care for them. She was devoted to her parents and wanted to "soak up every moment" that she could. Whether you were a sibling, in-law, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousin, or other distant relation, she wanted to spend time with you.

Going to visit her children, their spouses, and grandchildren was the highlight of her year. She was looking forward to an upcoming trip to see them later this month. An engaged and loving grandma, she always wanted to be with her grandkids, singing songs, doing arts and crafts, baking cookies, playing a game, or doing anything that sounded fun.

Linda was preceded in death by her baby girl Mary Abigail.

Linda is lovingly remembered by her husband Kim, her parents Starley and Irving "De", her siblings Scott (Allison), DeAnn (Todd), and David (Tiffany), and her children Shari (Uriah), Sheena (Roger), Lance (Karissa), Jason (Elise), Tannan, Brandon, Rahzjon, Anali (Bradley), and Mikaden. She will be missed by her 11 grandchildren Lincoln, Giovanni, Avrom, Persephone, Timpani, Aedelin, Emmaline, Braxton, Harley, India, and Mila.

Funeral services for Linda will be held at the LDS Church located at 18501 Paulson St. SW, Rochester, WA 98579 on May 26, 2026 with a viewing 11 a.m. followed by the main service at 12 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to https://gofund.me/91d383329