Kenneth N. Linville, age 87, of Palm Desert, passed away on December 13, 2025. Born on January 27, 1938, in Los Angeles, he grew up in Lincoln Heights and Pico Rivera. He graduated from El Rancho High School in 1956, after which he met Carol Hughes, when she moved in across the street from him on Carron Drive. They were married on August 2, 1958.
Ken and Carol made their first home in Pomona. In 1964, they moved to Upland, where they raised their four daughters. They were longtime residents of Upland and former members of Foothill Baptist Church.
Ken was a registered professional civil engineer in both California and Arizona. His career began unexpectedly when, at the urging of his cousin Frank Luchetta, he left Fullerton College and accepted a position with the Division of Highways, District 7 (later known as Caltrans) in downtown Los Angeles. For 14 years he worked on a survey crew, eventually becoming Party Chief. During the late 1950s and 1960s, he surveyed many of Southern California’s major freeways.
He later served as Assistant City Engineer for the City of Fontana, a position he held for four years before entering private practice in 1976. His first firm, Linville-Sanderson Civil Engineering, began in a small office on C Street in Upland and later expanded to larger facilities in Rancho Cucamonga as Linville-Sanderson-Horn and Associates. In 1984, Ken established his own company, Linville Civil Engineers/Land Surveyors, Inc. He became well known throughout the region as the engineer behind numerous city projects and residential developments across the Inland Empire. One developer honored him by naming a street in Colton "Linville Lane".
After retiring, Ken moved to Del Webb Sun City in Palm Desert, where he joined the Sierra Club and became an active member. He and his hiking friends explored countless Southern California trails, scaling nearly every major peak. He was especially proud of summiting Mt. Whitney. Ken tremendously enjoyed his daily “Starbucks runs” where he was a regular and the workers knew his order by heart.
Ken was preceded in death by his wife, Carol, and grandsons Michael Turney and Jonathan McGannon. He is survived by his daughters: Pam Goff (Tom) of New Hampshire, Debbie Jacobson of Illinois, Cindy Amble (Eirik) of Ohio, and Julie Christiansen (Jeffrey) of Arizona; his sister, Linda Linville of California; grandsons William Turney and David Turney of Illinois, and James Christiansen of Nevada; granddaughters Brooke Burrill of Massachusetts and Karissa Christiansen-Unrine of Washington; and six great-grandchildren.
Private burial will be held at Bellevue Cemetery in Ontario, California.
Ken and Carol made their first home in Pomona. In 1964, they moved to Upland, where they raised their four daughters. They were longtime residents of Upland and former members of Foothill Baptist Church.
Ken was a registered professional civil engineer in both California and Arizona. His career began unexpectedly when, at the urging of his cousin Frank Luchetta, he left Fullerton College and accepted a position with the Division of Highways, District 7 (later known as Caltrans) in downtown Los Angeles. For 14 years he worked on a survey crew, eventually becoming Party Chief. During the late 1950s and 1960s, he surveyed many of Southern California’s major freeways.
He later served as Assistant City Engineer for the City of Fontana, a position he held for four years before entering private practice in 1976. His first firm, Linville-Sanderson Civil Engineering, began in a small office on C Street in Upland and later expanded to larger facilities in Rancho Cucamonga as Linville-Sanderson-Horn and Associates. In 1984, Ken established his own company, Linville Civil Engineers/Land Surveyors, Inc. He became well known throughout the region as the engineer behind numerous city projects and residential developments across the Inland Empire. One developer honored him by naming a street in Colton "Linville Lane".
After retiring, Ken moved to Del Webb Sun City in Palm Desert, where he joined the Sierra Club and became an active member. He and his hiking friends explored countless Southern California trails, scaling nearly every major peak. He was especially proud of summiting Mt. Whitney. Ken tremendously enjoyed his daily “Starbucks runs” where he was a regular and the workers knew his order by heart.
Ken was preceded in death by his wife, Carol, and grandsons Michael Turney and Jonathan McGannon. He is survived by his daughters: Pam Goff (Tom) of New Hampshire, Debbie Jacobson of Illinois, Cindy Amble (Eirik) of Ohio, and Julie Christiansen (Jeffrey) of Arizona; his sister, Linda Linville of California; grandsons William Turney and David Turney of Illinois, and James Christiansen of Nevada; granddaughters Brooke Burrill of Massachusetts and Karissa Christiansen-Unrine of Washington; and six great-grandchildren.
Private burial will be held at Bellevue Cemetery in Ontario, California.
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