Allene Linda Lackey Faulkner

Allene Linda Lackey Faulkner
October 1, 1933 to April 10, 2018

A friend called this occasion the “passing of a legend”.  She was an Amazonian, certainly not in stature, but a warrior.  (With a lifelong passion for the color pink).  At age 15 Linda was stricken with crippling and disfiguring polio.  She fought pain every day of her remaining life.  At 17 the first of 4 cancer battles occurred. Doctors advised to remove her leg, but she adamantly refused and prevailed.  With pounds of hardware in her back, some of it broken, she remained upright and walking to the very end at age 84.
When she was 7, her baby brother, James Jr., “her baby”, died.  The first of many.  Three half-brothers were lost, then found, and lost again.  Her twin, Allen Lackey of Abilene, also died in 2011.  Her parents, James and Margaret Lackey, both of Tuscola, Texas passed in 1984 and 1992, respectively.  R. L. Faulkner left her a widow in 1995, in Midland, Texas where they had lived since 1966.
Asked, “how do you carry on”?  Her reply was always “faith”; a solid certainty in the Christian doctrine.  Linda was a devoted member and volunteer at First Baptist Church of Midland, Texas.
For many years Linda also volunteered at Hospice Midland, in several capacities.  She participated in the launch of Rays of Hope Children’s Grief Centre.  She, along with others, were featured on “CBS Evening News” for this ground breaking program, which has since been adopted nationally and internationally.  Some of her greatest blessings came from working with grieving children, she would say.
Linda was a talented homemaker. When still in high school she received a full college scholarship from her 4-H Club for blue ribbon canning and cooking skills.  College was forsaken in order to help at home, but years later she attended Odessa College.  Unknown to anyone, she was cum laude or summa cum laude every semester.  She was a talented and prolific seamstress.  She dressed her kids and grandkids and sometimes their wedding attendants, including those of her friends. She loved the outdoors and everything green.  Her garden was an oasis in the desert that is West Texas.  Always hands-on, digging and planting into her 80’s.  Her friends, family and especially the grands have many special memories in the garden with hand-cranked ice cream.  She and ‘Pop’ adored the grand babies; taking time, making more memories on road trips together.
Linda’s self-determination defied doctors again when told she would never be a mother.
She is survived by her son, Clifton King of Kansas City, MO and his daughter Ashley King of Austin, TX; a daughter also of Kansas City, MO, Karen Mitchell and her supportive husband Len, along with his supportive and loving family living across the country.  Linda was blessed by four more grandchildren and four great grandchildren.  They are: James Mitchell of Nashville and his son Canyon, Curtis Mitchell of San Francisco and his fiancee Sara Siddiqi, Sabrina Zunker of Denver and her daughter Zoe, and Shazalynn Cavin-Winfrey of Alexandria, VA with her husband Brandon, and their children Grace and Cavin Reed.  She is also survived by her sister-in-‘love’, Peggy Lackey of Abilene, her daughter Vanessa Fry and husband Michael, along with their son Patrick, all of Abilene; another niece, Carlanda Williamson and her husband Lee, of Grant’s Pass, OR.  Also survived by her ‘adopted’ children, Keith & Yumiko King of Fairfield Glade, TN and Beverly Bass of Kansas City, MO.  Finally, in addition to many, many friends, Linda is survived by her constant companion, a tiny Maltese, Abbigayle, age 14, who is now giving comfort to Linda’s children.
With a twinkle in her baby blue eyes, to every challenge she replied “watch me”.  If you knew her, you heard her say it.  In her later years her zest for experiencing life didn’t wane.  In her 70’s she insisted that she zip-line in Jamaica.  She flew above treetops and canyons.  One of her happiest days. On her 75th birthday she celebrated by having her grandson take her white water rafting.  Away we all went!
Allene Linda Faulkner was a fearless and determined warrior.  Early in life, doctors decreed she wouldn’t see age 30. Linda saw 84; and was conversant and engaged up until her last few hours which were peaceful and without pain.  Simple pneumonia was her final opponent.   “I love you all, I will miss you, but I’m ready to see those I love who are waiting for me.”  Her courage inspires us.
- Brief is Life but Love is Long -