Linda L. Berry

Linda Lee Berry (Koch), 80, of Phoenix, AZ, passed away peacefully on June 15, 2025.

A beloved mother, sister, and friend, Linda had a way of making people feel at ease and genuinely seen. She had a natural gift for connection and was always quick to smile, strike up a conversation, or share a laugh. Whether she was dancing in the bathroom while getting ready, lost in a good book, or out for one of her daily walks, she moved through life with an easy grace and cheerful spirit.

Linda was born on October 1, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois. She later became a flight attendant, where her love of people and sense of adventure shone brightly. She spent many happy years at Lake Quivira, Kansas, where she raised her daughter and built lasting friendships in the close-knit lake community. In the mid-1990s, she moved to El Cajon, California, where she shared her life with her husband, Bill Berry. But her greatest joy came from being a devoted mother and a steadfast friend. She was the kind of person who made others feel truly seen and deeply loved.

To those who knew her best, Linda was also a fighter - someone who overcame more than her fair share of challenges, including two serious accidents when she was young. Her strength left a lasting impression on her sisters, who looked up to her not only for her resilience but also for the way they could laugh together until they cried. Music was one of Linda's greatest loves, and her life had a soundtrack of soul, classic rock, and smooth R&B. Her taste was wide-ranging, and she especially loved songs that made her want to dance.

She is survived by her daughter, Ashli Reitz, from her first marriage to Craig Reitz, and by her sisters, Barbara Heller (Port Charlotte, FL) and Debra Koch (North Port, FL). She was preceded in death by her husband, William (Bill) Berry, as well as her parents, Lillian H. Reinert (Evanglista) and George W. Koch.

While there will not be a formal service, those wishing to honor Linda's memory are invited to make a donation in her name to the Alzheimer's Association, a cause close to the family's heart.