Palestine High School Alumni Association

05 / 10 / 1939  –  01 / 26 / 2011

Linda S. Baxley died at Hillcrest Hospital in Waco, Texas, on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011. A celebration of Linda’s life will be Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011, at Armstrong Browning Library, located on the Baylor University Campus in Waco, Texas at 1 p.m.

A reception will be held in Draper 207 located on the Baylor Campus immediately following the celebration. The celebration will be led by longtime friend, Will Lowrance.

Graveside service will be at Roselawn Cemetery in Palestine, Texas, on April 2, 2011 at 2 p.m.

Linda was born in Palestine, Texas on May 10, 1939, to A.D. Lively and Gladys Turner Lively. She graduated from Palestine High School and attended Texas Christian University prior to graduating from Sam Houston State University in 1960. Linda earned a M. Ed. Degree in 1969 from North Texas State University. Linda was a certified secondary teacher and professional school counselor.

Beginning in 1960 and extending for almost half a century, Linda was a Texas educator, teaching English in La Vega Independent School District, New Caney ISD, Tucker ISD, Palestine ISD and Houston ISD before joining Midway ISD in 1967.

Linda began working as a school counselor in 1979 serving schools in the Region 12 School Support Coop including Teague ISD, Wortham ISD, Coolidge ISD, and Hubbard ISD. Linda joined the staff at Education Service Region 12 in August, 1990 and worked in the fields of language arts, school improvement, curriculum development and testing until her retirement in May 1996.

After retirement from full-time service, Linda continued her commitment to students as counselor at Walnut Springs ISD and Gholson ISD.

She was selected as a member of Zeta Chapter, Delta Kappa Gamma, an honorary organization of educators.

Linda believed strongly in education, especially every child’s right to have the opportunity to learn and build a better future.  A hard worker herself, Linda was dedicated to giving people the tools to become their best. A woman of strong will and opinions, Linda loved with equal strength.

Linda’s legacy is her dedication to the extended family that she nurtured and the devotion of all children she taught. To family, friends and students, it is clear that Linda translated her values into actions.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, George Coleman and Tom Baxley; brothers, Gary and Mike Lively; and sister, Viginia Diane Lively.

She is survived  by her sister, Shirley Milner and husband Joe of Austin; brothers, A.D. Lively Jr. of Jefferson and Morris Lively and wife Patsy of Palestine. Linda also is survived by nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, friends and former students.

For those wishing to make a memorial gift, the family suggests The Linda Baxley Memorial Fund, Gholson ISD, 137 Hamilton Drive, Waco, Texas 76705.