Linda Lou Sills Naff
Services for Linda LouSills Naff, 79, of Lufkin, will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 in the Gipson Funeral Home Chapel, with Reverend Bruce Mercer and John Havard officiating. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories Memorial Park.
Linda Naff went to be with Jesus on Feb. 24, surrounded by her loving family and under the good care of Hospice of the Pines at Memorial Hospital in Lufkin. She was born Sept. 1, 1940 in Oletha in Limestone County, the fifth born child of Annie May and O.T. “Pig” Sills and spent her childhood years in Thornton.
Linda graduated from Thornton High School in 1958 where she played volleyball, was a member of the cheerleading team and was named “Football Sweetheart.” She then attended Navarro College where she met her first husband, Autry Foley, whom she married in April of 1959. She worked for a number of years at the Mexia State School before moving to Lufkin. She was widowed at the age of 36 and then earned her accounting degree through a “university without walls” program attending both Angelina College and Stephen F. Austin University.
Linda married Frank Naff of Bastrop, Louisiana on May 28, 1982 and was blessed with 36 years of marriage until Frank passed away on Dec. 21, 2018.
She retired as Chief Financial Officer of Lufkin’s Burke Center in 2006. After which, she enjoyed travelling the country with Frank visiting all the continental states from Alaska to New England.
Linda was an active church member from her early years, most recently the Central Church of Christ in Lufkin. As a youth, Linda served as a church pianist. Linda was a committed Christian, a loving wife, a caring step-mother, a cherished aunt, a devoted friend and a generous soul.
Linda enjoyed eating sausage and cheese biscuits daily at Whataburger, regular trips to Louisiana, tole painting, decorating for the holidays, going out to eat with her friends, keeping up with and visiting her adored nieces and nephews and their children, volunteering with AARP doing tax returns, having her hair done weekly, giving gifts to appreciated people in her life and worshipping her Lord.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Autry Foley, second husband Frank Naff, her parents, her four older siblings, Eldon Sills, Joyce Williamson, Kenneth Sills and Nan Perry and one step-daughter, Shannon Naff Aycock. She is survived by her step-daughter, Nikki Manley of Gainesville, her sister-in-law Bonnie Sills of Pasadena, Nieces: Valerie, D.J. Nephews: Ricky, Dwayne, Steve, Mike, Scott, Jeff and Hal, in addition to numerous great nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions in Linda’s memory may be made to the Women’s Shelter of East Texas, 2401 Davisville Road, Lufkin, TX 75901.
The family will receive friends from noon until service time on Thursday at the funeral home. Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com. Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home, located at 1515 S. Chestnut in Lufkin, Texas, 75901.