Linda Olpin

Jul. 12, 1939 ~ Feb. 04, 2025

Linda Jo Olpin (85) passed away on the 4th of February at her home in Highland, Utah, after suffering a hemorrhagic stroke. Linda was born on July 12, 1939, in Bowman, North Dakota, to Frank Gorman Lewton and Myrtle Pearl Allinson. She graduated from Bowman High School in 1957, and later attended North Dakota State University in Fargo where she received a bachelor's degree in Home Economics. Linda then attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa where she earned a Master of Science degree in Child Development. She worked at the Ames Child Development Laboratory at Iowa State University contributing new ideas to the laboratory in the science of child development. During her graduate studies she met Jay L. Olpin, who was a graduate student in biophysics at Iowa State University. After a year-long courtship they were married on the 27th day of December 1962 in the Manti Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During a long and beautiful relationship Linda gave birth to Rebecca Sue, born on April 11, 1964. Later they had Ruth Anne, born on 4 October 1967, and Timothy Richard who was born on the 26th of July 1975. Linda and family lived for several years in upstate New York where Jay was studying at Cornell University and later at the Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse. During this time Linda used her child development abilities in several pre-school facilities. Later they moved to Frederick County, Maryland, where they purchased a small farmette which allowed Linda to have the joys which she had experienced as a child growing up on her father’s farm in North Dakota. It was during this period that Linda enjoyed a fulness of life and acquired many friends that have lasted through the years In 2006 Jay and Linda sold their Maryland farmette, moved to Utah and served three foreign missions for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Two missions were served in Mongolia in the cities of Darkhan and Erdenet helping local leaders learn how to administer the church. Their third mission was in the West Indies. They lived in Barbados but traveled extensively throughout the islands where Jay provided Patriarchal Blessings to the resident Saints. Linda performed a critical part of these special blessings given to the Latter Day Saints, helping to record and preserve the blessings given to the members. These experiences, in many ways, culminated an active and fulfilling life for Linda. Linda is survived by her husband, three children, 16 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 15th, 2025, at 11:00 am in the Highland 25th Ward Chapel, 5848 West 11000 North, Highland, Utah. Family and friends may attend a visitation on Friday, February 14th, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm and Saturday, February 15th, at 9:30 am prior to the service. Interment will follow in the Provo City Cemetery, 610 South State Street, Provo, Utah under the direction of Olpin Family Mortuary, Pleasant Grove, Utah. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com.