Linda Rae (Keith) Barrow, 76, passed away with family surrounding her on March 9, 2024. She was born on July 6, 1947, in San Antonio, TX, to Ray A. Keith and Mary Grace (Ward) Keith. The Keiths lived in Natalia, then moved to Devine, and built the famous light pink brick house on Warhorse Drive when Linda was in middle school.
Linda graduated from Devine High School in 1965, where she was involved in the Warhorse Band, Drama Club, One-Act Play, F.H.A., F.N.A., and Junior Follies, among other extracurricular activities.
After high school, Linda attended San Antonio College and started her first job at USAA before being introduced to her daughter, Traci’s dad. Before Traci was born, Linda was on the San Antonio Police Wives Softball team and started her nearly life-long bowling career.
After Traci was born, she wanted a job where she could be home with her as much as possible. She worked as the secretary at the Devine United Methodist Church, taught high school Sunday School, coordinated the youth group and Bible school, and soon after produced some of the largest events in Devine at UMC, including the “Catch the Spirit” bible school festival and many years of the Devine Halloween Carnival, which she and friend Rena initially started at Devine High School.
During this time, she and Rena also decided to start their first of multiple businesses together, “Kids Parties,” where they produced every aspect of kids’ birthday parties, including providing the entertainment – themselves, as clowns, “Bingles and Bangles.”
When Traci was young, Linda could always be found at the school or on a field trip. She was one of the Room Mothers throughout Traci’s Elementary school days, as a DYSA volleyball coach and even Little League Softball coach. She wanted to be involved as much as possible.
After Linda and Traci’s dad parted ways, she started a new job with Xetron Corporation, owned by a family also attending Devine Methodist Church. They built key card access alarm systems for businesses worldwide, from retail stores and hotels in New York City to the McMurdo Station in Antarctica. Linda loved working there, managing their accounts, and provided the best customer service, as she saved many wonderful letters from her clients. Linda even donned the cover of the February 1993 Direct Access Newsletter she started and distributed to her clients worldwide.
On December 21, 1990, Linda got her second chance at love and married Chester Dennis Barrow of Somerset. This is when she rekindled her bowling career. She and Chester were avid bowlers in three bowling leagues with the Hajduk and Bales families. These bowling leagues took them to tournaments, including Nationals, all over the United States, where they saw many great sites with their friends. She and Chester could also be seen working at many football games as they were on the Band Boosters while Traci was in the high school band.
In 2001, Linda and Chester moved to a town an hour outside of San Diego, Ramona, to join her family in retirement, though she didn’t retire long. Linda began working at Sea World in the Pearl Shop (where she loved providing a show to Traci’s students on field trips), joined two bowling leagues, and joined the board at the community where she lived. She also created and printed the annual event calendars and was editor of the community newsletter. After her final retirement in 2010 through the pandemic, she continued to bowl in the women’s league, joined a bible study, and became a volunteer for Traci’s nonprofit. She could be seen working their welcome booth and on the pet costume contest judge’s panel, which she loved the most.
After the pandemic, Linda moved to San Diego to be closer to Traci and her husband, Scott, at Atria Collwood. It wasn’t long before she was the president of The Resident Council and led their monthly meetings. Before she passed, she was working with management to approve her starting a newsletter that would highlight each of the residents, focusing on interviews with the centenarians.
Linda loved her family, fun, life, and her friends; if you ask anyone, they will tell you the same.
Linda is predeceased by her parents and husband, Chester Dennis Barrow.
She is survived by her children Traci Wilkerson Steckel and husband Scott, and Bebe Den Barrow, her brother George Keith, nephew Patrick Keith, grand niece and nephew Mattie Keith and Alexander Keith, cousin Rusty Keith (wife Dede), many members of the Barrow family, ex-husband Patrick Wilkerson, and Mother-in-Law, Wanda Wilkerson.
With her great love for Texas and her history with our hometown church, she will be memorialized on Saturday, June 29th, at 11:00 a.m. at the Devine First United Methodist Church, with refreshments to follow in the Fellowship Hall.
Please wear red or bright colors in Linda’s honor.
Devine First United Methodist Church
212 W Benton Ave, Devine, TX 78016
Flowers may be ordered from Sherry’s Flowers and delivered to the church for her service.
Sherry’s Flowers
103 East College Avenue, Devine, TX 78016
(830)663-2622
March 27, 2024 – Private Celebration of Life at Atria Collwood
June 29, 2024 – Private Internment of ashes in Pearsall Cemetery