Linda Dunn

Linda DunnMar 9, 2026Waterloo - Linda Marie Dunn (née Wallace), 81 of Waterloo, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 9, 2026, at Lutheran Life Villages in Kendallville.Linda was born to Ernest and Violet Wallace on February 10, 1945. She grew up on a small farm just outside of Waterloo, Indiana, where she could often be found assisting her father with farm chores. After graduating from Waterloo High School, she attended Ball State University, where she earned her degree in Elementary Education.In 1968, Linda married her high school sweetheart, Francis "Joe" Dunn. Shortly after, the couple moved to New Mexico to live on the Navajo Reservation. Linda found great joy in teaching Navajo children, often becoming a beloved mother figure to her students. The couple later moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, where Linda earned her Master's degree in Special Education and dedicated herself to teaching children with special needs. It was in Flagstaff that they welcomed their son, Simon, followed two years later by their daughter, Lindsey. They then moved to Scottsdale, Arizona where Linda continued her work teaching children with emotional challenges.Upon returning to Indiana, Linda opened and operated "The Vintage Barn" with her sister, Nancy, for several years. She later transitioned to the Waterloo Library, where she served as the Library Director from 1992 to 2015. During her tenure, she completed her degree in Library Science and was instrumental in the library's expansion and remodeling. She was particularly proud of creating welcoming spaces for children and teens and developing a hub for community groups to gather.Linda will be remembered by Joe, her husband of 57 years, for her beautiful smile and her "quiet competence." Together, they shared a home in Waterloo for over forty years, usually accompanied by one of the Shelties she so dearly loved. Linda lived a life of service to her family, friends, and community. Possessing a rare inner strength and calm, she was always the first person to call in times of struggle.Their marriage was defined by laughter and a playful "give-and-take"; Linda was known to go shopping for shoes, coats, or purses in lighthearted "retaliation" for the hours Joe spent golfing or watching Notre Dame Football. An avid quilter, she enjoyed filling her home with beautiful handmade quilts alongside her treasured collection of Navajo jewelry and art. She loved music (especially Home Free), anything chocolate, and never missed an opportunity to watch the entire Buffy the Vampire Slayer series with her daughter. Her passion for literacy was a gift she passed to her son, Simon, who now serves as Vice President of the library board. Above all, Linda loved being a grandmother to her five grandchildren, with whom she shared her love of reading.Linda is survived by her husband, Joe; her children, Simon (Amy) Dunn and Lindsey Reese (Dunn); and her five grandchildren, Cooper, Kenzie, Luca, Raegan, and Elias. She is also survived by her sister, Nancy Graham, and her brother, Jack (Nancy) Wallace. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Violet Wallace, and her sister, Zella Warstler.The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to the staff at Lutheran Life Villages and Parkview Hospice for their compassionate care.A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 10:00 AM at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 1098 CR 39 north of Waterloo.A Celebration of Linda's Life will be held later that same day from 2:00 to 5:00 PM at the Waterloo Grant Township Public Library, 300 South Wayne Street in Waterloo.Interment will be held at a later date at the Auburn Catholic Cemetery.Memorial Contributions in lieu of flowers may be given in Linda's honor to the Waterloo Library.Condolences may be sent to the family at fellerandclark.com and on our Facebook page at Feller and Clark Funeral Home.Arrangements have been entrusted to Feller and Clark Funeral Home in Waterloo.