Linda Newton Blevins Rhoads

Linda grew up in Highland Park, Illinois. While the world was at war, Linda and her siblings, Judith, Lee Michael and Gretchen, found life on Windy Hill Farm to be a wondrous place to grow, explore and imagine. With horses, sheep, chickens, dogs and an abundance of kittens; Linda experienced her favorite time of life. Linda attended a 3-room school that served students from 1st through 8th grade. It was there she found her love of learning through books.

Her father’s advertising business took them to California for the burgeoning field of television advertising the summer before Linda’s senior year of high school. She graduated from Alhambra High School in 1955 and then attended the College of Pacific where she received her degree in speech therapy. It was at Pacific that she met William “Bill” Rhoads.

Linda and Bill were married June 9, 1959. Bill’s ongoing graduate work in organic chemistry provided opportunities to move to different college towns around the country. While in Albuquerque, Linda taught 2nd grade until the birth of their first child, Amy. Linda was now a full-time mother. Another degree, at another university, in another state for Bill, and their second child was born, Judson. The family packed up once more and moved to the North Shore of Chicago where their third child was born, Christopher “Gus.”

Linda and Bill always wanted to own their own business and during one of their moves, they drove through Colorado, and fell in love with its natural beauty. The family’s final move was to Colorado Springs in 1971. Linda truly loved being a mother. Weekly trips to the library always assured plenty of books to read for herself and for her children.

As her children grew, Linda managed the calendar, and told Bill where to go, to watch multiple sporting events, concerts and ceremonies. It was during this time that she went back to teaching as a substitute teacher. As her children grew and moved on, Linda eventually started to work at the family’s independent analytical chemistry lab as office manager. When she reached the age that many retire, Linda picked up her pace. Never one to sit idle, she joined multiple quilt guilds, became a docent at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, and was a storyteller for elementary students all over El Paso County.

She and Bill found joy in their years of membership at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. Travelling to New York and London to see plays and musicals was some of their most precious times together. They also loved as more grandchildren joined the family. Linda continued to share her love of reading by giving books to her grandchildren on every occasion.

Bill passed away in 2016 and for the first time in her life, Linda was on her own. She discovered that she had even more time now for her volunteer work, and more time to read all her favorite books and stories again, plus so many new ones. Linda was diagnosed with dementia in 2020. Throughout her life, she always remained positive. While she understood that new memories were challenging to create, she had the best memories to remember, and nothing was better or more important to her than being a mother, a wife and a grandmother.

Linda is survived by her daughter, Amy Kalmus (Mark) of Colorado Springs, CO and their sons Simon Kalmus (Eva) and Eli Kalmus (Elizabeth). Her son Judson Rhoads (Lisa) of Fort Collins, CO and their children Samantha Bourdon, Cameron Bourdon (Madi), Benjamin Rhoads (Sarah), and Ella Rhoads. Son Christopher “Gus” Rhoads (Heather) of Woodbury, CT. and their daughter Grace Rhoads.

When asked where she’d want to go when her time had come, she said back to the farm, because it was close to the Children’s Room at the Highland Park Library. There are no plans for a memorial service. If inclined, donations could be made in her memory to the Pikes Peak Library District, the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum or Project Linus.