Linda Margaret Thornell

Linda Margaret was born in Frankfurt, Germany to John Joseph LaBella and Dixie Louise Larsen.  Because her family was in the military, she grew up in Germany, Italy, New York, Virginia, North Carolina and Texas.  It was a rich and varied upbringing, exposing Linda to many cultures, ideas, literature and music.  She gained a great appreciation for languages.

Linda loved teaching her entire life, beginning with teaching Sunday School as a teenager, serving as a chemistry tutor in college, and teaching for the Internal Revenue Service for 10 years.  

After listening to missionaries in Austin, Texas in 1971, Linda joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  After working in Texas and New Mexico, she moved to Utah to be near a temple.  
She married David Valentine Thornell in the Salt Lake Temple on December 7, 1981.  Linda was able to raise adopted children, stepchildren and biological children.  It is a great blessing to realize that motherhood is an opportunity to love and teach a child, regardless of how that child entered the world.  She coached both her sons and daughters in soccer, basketball and softball.  

Because she loved teaching and learning, Linda was able to design some of the earliest computer programs for the Department of Public Safety, Evans and Sutherland Computer Corporation, and taught many area businesses as a consultant/educator in manufacturing process flow and effective team management. She served as an adjunct faculty member for Weber State University, teaching classes in Manufacturing Engineering Technology for almost 20 years. She was a fellow of the American Production and Inventory Control Society, and established her own consulting company, LINDELL, during that time.

An active member of the LDS Church, Linda worked in all the auxiliaries, especially loving the Young Women program and serving as Relief Society president twice.  She also served as a temple worker in the Bountiful Temple for six years.

Linda and her husband David served a full-time mission to the Asia Area in 2003-2004, a life-changing experience for them both.  They returned home and served a part-time Family History Mission at the Salt Lake Family History Library.  Family History became a great love for them both, and she continued to teach Family History in her ward.

She is survived by her beloved eternal companion, David Valentine Thornell, and their children Bonnie (Reid) Germer, Kit (Robyn) Thornell, Marie (Doug) Parton, Robyn Dellamura, Jill (John)Miller, Malou Thornell (widow of Richard), Jeff (Cheriann) Thornell, Colin (Helen) Thornell, Chris Schoolfield, Jen Thornell, Sarah South, and Liz (Bryan) Christensen.  She is also survived by a niece she considered another daughter, Amy (Jamey) Dodson; 34 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.  "I have the most beautiful and talented grandchildren in the world!"

Linda was preceded in death by children Stacey Thornell and Richard Thornell and by her beloved parents.  She is survived by her sister Patty (Mike) Young of Arlington, Texas; John David LaBella of Boston, Massachusetts; and Mark (Sherry) LaBella of Ijamsville, Maryland.

Although she loved all scriptures, this particular one became her personal motto:  "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Jesus Christ."  (Colossians 3:23-24)

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, July 15, 2017 at the LDS Chapel, 2285 South 200 West, Bountiful, Utah. A viewing will be held Friday evening from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Russon Mortuary, 295 North Main, Bountiful and Saturday morning 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment-Bountiful City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Linda Thornell’s name to her favorite charity, https://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/humanitarian-services/funds/wheelchair-distribution.html