Linda Diane Stoeffler

Linda Diane Stoeffler, 79, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 28th surrounded by her loving family members.
Born July 26, 1945, in Pleasantville, NJ, Linda grew up in a family of 6 and was the second oldest of 4 children. She met the love of her life, John Stoeffler, at a Military dance while in high school, went to Glassboro College, got married and graduated with her degree in teaching. She and John and stayed in NJ and had their first daughter, Susan. They moved briefly to Oklahoma, where they had their second daughter, Laura, and eventually settled in St Louis, Missouri, where they would spend the majority of their lives. They had a beautiful marriage of 57 years.
Linda's passion was for her children and spent her time loving on them and creating a home of fun and comfort. She donated her time at their schools, made Halloween costumes, volunteered in their after-school activities, and just spent lots of time with her kids! She worked a flexible schedule as a teacher's aide and for several years as a teacher with the severely handicapped. She eventually retired early to travel with her husband. They traveled throughout the US and the world visiting such places as Russia, Italy, Germany, China, the Panama Canal, Alaska, Hawaii and more.
She loved the Lord and was dedicated to going to church and bible study. She taught kids in Sunday school and in their evening summer programs. It was in the church where she met a great group of ladies, and they became lifelong friends.
It wasn't until a little later in life that she pursued her talent of art, drawing, painting, and quilting. She was extremely talented and used her gifts for others. She spent countless hours shopping for beautiful fabrics, putting together the quilt designs, sewing and stitching, and even entered some of them in quilt shows in Paduca Kentucky. To her surprise, she won a couple of ribbons! It was one of her favorite things, to make quilts for people. She poured love and care into each one and gave them as gifts to those she loved.
She also had a love for painting. Linda could draw or paint anything from sunsets, beaches, trees, cabins, animals, she painted them all. But her favorite thing to do was to charcoal draw, especially people. She, again, poured love into each thing she did, and created drawings of children and grandchildren to give to the people she loved.
Linda and her husband, John, also created a non-profit called the Sweet Dreams Pillow project. They sewed pillows with pictures of military dads or moms serving overseas and sent them to their children so they could still hug their mom or dad while they were away. They sewed and mailed over 14,000 pillows! All paid with their own money (along with some donations). Her calling was gift giving, and with her talents, she did!
Linda loved her family with all her heart and was over the moon when she had grandkids. Both her and John took care of them and picked them up from school and attended every birthday party, and special event they could. They eventually moved to St Petersburg, Florida to be closer and spend time with their grandkids. She was constantly talking about them and when they would walk in the room, her face would light up and she would get so happy.
Linda was one of the kindest, sweetest, most giving and selfless people you could ever want to meet. She saw the best in everyone and always gave compliments whenever she could. She took pleasure in the littlest of things and was always happy and smiling. She was a genuine sweetheart.
Linda will be deeply missed by her daughter, Laura Vetter (Kevin), grandkids, Haley, Kylie, Kanon, and Lexie, her siblings, Dorie Lord and Lee Thorne (David), and her many nieces, nephews, cousins, and good friends who are considered family. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, John, her father, Parry, mother, Doris, her brother, Parry Jr, and her daughter, Susan.
Linda's Funeral:
Tuesday September 3rd 11:30am
Sarasota National Cemetery
9810 Highway 72
Sarasota, FL 34241
"I will love you forever and ever".
Donations can be made in Linda Stoeffler's name to:
Operation: Military Matters
PO Box 8132
Seminole, FL 33775 https://www.paypal.com/US/fundraiser/charity/2396041 https://operationmilitarymatters.com/