Linda Kay (Sparks) Walrod (1953-2020)

HINMAN, ORNDORFF, SPARKS, STUBBE, WALROD

Posted By: Eileen Reed
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:42

Andrews Funeral Home
Belmond, Iowa
Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Linda Walrod, 67, of Belmond, IA, died, unexpectedly, Saturday, December 26, 2020, at MercyOne Medical Center-Mason City, IA. Public Funeral services will be Friday, January 1, 2020, at 10:30 AM, at the Belmond United Methodist Church 1031 1st ST. S.E., Belmond. Pastor David Boogerd of the Belmond UCC Church will be officiating. Burial will be in the Belmond Cemetery. Public Visitation will be Thursday Dec 31, from 4-7 PM at the Belmond United Methodist Church and from 9:30-10:30 AM, Friday before her funeral services. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. on January 1, 2021 at the United Methodist Church, Belmond, IA. Linda's funeral service will be live streamed on Andrews Funeral Home Facebook page at 10:30 AM for those unable to attend in person, just like the page to view. Masks are required according to current guidelines.

Linda Sparks, the daughter of Donal and Donna (Orndorff) Sparks, was born December 18, 1953, at Leon, IA. She grew up on the family in rural Derby, IA. Linda attended Morman Trail Schools graduating from Moorman Trail High School in the Class of 1973. During her school years she was a cheerleader and played girls basketball.

Linda was united in marriage to Steve Walrod on September 30, 1978, at the United Church of Christ in Belmond. The couple's union was blessed with a son Jason and daughter Emily.

Linda and Steve made their home in Belmond where they raised their two children and spent the next 42 years of their life journey together.

Linda relished her roles as a wife, mom and grandma. She looked forward truly to any occasion that included her family and cherished times spent with her parents and sisters Sharion and Rita. Her family was always a focus regardless of how many other roles and obligations she had committed to.

Linda had a terrific work ethic and was meticulous in each job that she had during her life. She had been employed early on at Belmond Labs, Belmond Health Care Center, was a part-time librarian at the Belmond Library and for many years was secretary of the St. John and St. Olaf Lutheran Churches and more recently was secretary of the UCC Church of Belmond. There were times in her life that Linda was employed in as many as four jobs at the same time.

She was a wonderful cook and baker. Over the years Linda had baked and created countless one-of-a-kind cakes for weddings, confirmations, birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions for customers who ordered them from her. Her culinary skills and family recipes were something that created many special times in the kitchen with her granddaughter Ella over the last many years. One thing for certain if Ella wanted to hang out and spend time with grandma, Linda would put everything else on the back burner for that occasion.

Linda never understood the word "no" and never slowed down over the years. She was a proficient "multi-tasker" and held many different roles in organizations in her community. She was active in her faith life through the Women's Fellowship at church, the Belmond Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, Belmond Food Pantry, PEO where she was currently President, and was active in other roles over the years. Linda and her sister Sharion had a great bond and often times if one of them was involved in an organization or project the other one joined the group. Linda looked forward to the camaraderie and competition of her various "500" card clubs and spent many years pursuing this passion with her team mate Sharion. She also looked forward to the occasional trek to a casino to try her luck at the penny and nickel slots and would often times come out on the winning end of the excursion.

Linda relished anything that involved times spent with her family. She had been on some memorable trips with them to Niagara Falls, Hawaii, Mackinaw Island, Las Vegas, the east coast, and various other destinations. For the past 20 years a favorite get-away was with her daughter Emily to spend a few days, or maybe more at Galena, Illinois. She loved to dine out with her family, attending the many activities of her children and in more recent years watching Ella dance in her annual recitals. Linda looked forward to spectating at many, many of her sibling’s children's activities and event as well. Linda always kept track of everyone's birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions on her calendar including her yearly "28th-Birthday!" which she recently celebrated for the 67th time on December 18th. Linda loved her music and her tastes were quite diverse as she enjoyed Alabama, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Michaël Bolton, Kenny Rodgers, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, ZZ Top, to many other country super stars. She and her family looked forward to attending live shows at the State Fair, Surf Ballroom, and at other venues. Favorite memories included getting to have her picture taken with Kenny Rodgers and Paul Revere.

As her family reflects back on Linda's life journey, they fondly remember her being their number one cheerleader in life, her giggly and goofy personality, her unselfish love for others and her ability to place the focus upon their world and not hers. Her trustworthy and loving ways. Her sometimes stubborn streak and determination sometimes to a fault, and her boundless concern for the well-being of her family and friends as they went about their daily lives. They will miss that glance from her beautiful eyes, the suttle throat clearing or her using their full names when they had crossed her mild temperament over the years.

Those left to cherish the memory of a life well lived included Linda's husband Steve Walrod, Belmond, IA, her son Jason (Jennifer) Walrod and their daughter Ella, all of Belmond, and her daughter Emily Walrod, Waverly, IA, two sisters including and their families Sharion (Stephen) Hinman, Belmond, IA, and Rita (Craig) Stubbe, Humeston, IA, a sister-in-law Janet Sparks, Osceola, IA, and other extended family and friends. Memorials may be directed to Belmond Hospital or an organization of the donor's choice.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents both who passed away in 2006, her brother Jerry in 2015, her mother and father-in-law, and many other relatives and friends.