Linda (Curtis) Stover

Stevensville  -  Linda Curtis Stover, 83, of Stevensville, MT, passed away on September 15, 2021. She was born on February 19, 1938, in Los Angeles, CA, daughter of the late Maxine Mays McLaurin and Thomas Edward Curtis. Linda was raised in Los Angeles and Campbell, CA. She graduated from Campbell High School in 1955, married Joe Hernandez in 1956, and together they had six children. In 1973, she moved to Santa Cruz with her children and worked for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. Linda was married to Karl Stover until his death in 2014. She finished her working career at the City Auditor’s Office in San Jose, CA, and upon retiring pursued one of her passions by earning an Associate of Arts degree in Studio Art from Cabrillo College, CA. While living in Santa Cruz, she was a member of the Santa Cruz Art League for many years and actively participated in their art shows. After a trip to Utah, she and Karl purchased a ranch and later relocated there where Linda belonged to the Uintah Arts Council and exhibited her paintings in the area. Linda moved to Stevensville, MT, in 2016 with her partner, Jim Boast, and joined the Artists Along the Bitterroot showing her artwork locally. Linda had an indomitable spirit and was a selfless, considerate and loving mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. Her creativity evoked admiration from those who knew her and was such that, “There was nothing her hands could do that did not turn out perfect.” She was an adept seamstress and quilter, designed jewelry, restored antique furniture and crafted just about anything. Linda’s other remarkable abilities included playing piano and guitar, cooking, baking, and gardening. Her adventurous nature led her to a variety of activities such as participating in annual reenactments of American historical periods, shooting black powder rifles, whitewater rafting and traveling. She enjoyed spending time with her pets, reading, watching old movies, listening to classical music, playing cards, and most notably, writing politicians to express her two cents’ worth. As a painter, Linda received several awards for her oil paintings from the Santa Cruz Art League, California Open Studios Tour, Uintah County Fair (Best in Show), Uintah Arts Council (Best in Show) and other art events. Linda loved a good laugh, Victorian tea parties, and researching genealogy. During her lifetime, Linda worked tirelessly to provide for her children and faced many of life’s challenges with perseverance and grace. She was an extraordinary woman, full of love and light, deeply steeped in her spirituality, and as on Earth, is now one of God’s angels in Heaven. She will be missed beyond words by her sister, Sirrka McLaurin, her six children and their spouses: Debora Barnett (Sean Kerrigan), Nicola Jones (Dan Jones), Joe Hernandez, Luanna Saldano (Tony Saldano), Mark Hernandez (Cindy Hernandez), and Andria Hernandez (Ray Pike), two nieces, five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, Jim Boast and his family. Linda will be laid to rest on September 25, 2021, in Stevensville, MT.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Linda (Curtis) Stover, please visit our floral store.