Linda Bowen Sebera was born to John and Margaret Raines in Breaks, Virginia, on March 18, 1949, and passed away on August 13, 2026. Linda was the youngest of 14 children and was loved dearly by all of her older brothers and sisters. She was especially adored by her father, so much so that her older siblings quickly learned they could use that to their advantage.

At the age of 19, Linda moved to Chester, Virginia, where she began working at Allied Chemical. There, she met her first love, Joseph Bowen, and they were married in 1971. Together, they had two sons: first, Robert (Michelle), and five years later, Chad (Jennifer). Linda somehow managed to work rotating shifts, raise two boys, and take great pride in being a wife and in doing everything she could to make their life work. Along the way, many of her coworkers became lifelong friends.

After 23 years of marriage, Joseph passed away from cancer in 1993.

In 1995, Rob married the love of his life, Michelle. All of Michelle’s friends were jealous of the fact that Michelle had the best mother-in-law. Linda taught Michelle that the key to good vegetables is bacon grease, that you don't have to be the loudest person in the room to be heard, and that it's okay to be stubborn about the things that are most important.

In 1996, Linda married her second love, James Sebera. Linda became a stepmother to Dan (Sofiya) Wilbun. There was never an adventure she would say no to, and she quickly became the "supervisor" of all of Jim's projects. Linda became an excellent co-pilot and was absolutely adored by Jim for almost 30 years.

In 2000, Linda took on her favorite role of all: grandmother. First came Rachel, then Mallory, and then Charlotte. From that point on, her name officially became "Gram," and there weren't too many times that she said no. Rachel became Gram's sidekick. There wasn't a day they didn't talk, and they became best friends. They remained incredibly close until Linda's last breath.

Linda was one of the kindest people you could ever meet—a woman of great strength and grace who remained that way until her final day. Cancer may have taken her life, but it could never take away the essence of who she was. She was simply one of the best people anyone could have had the privilege of knowing, whether as a friend or as family.

Linda was adored by her surviving sisters, Bertha, Gracie, and Clara. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. The memories of Linda shared by her surviving family—Jim, Rob, Michelle, Rachel, Chad, Dan, and Sofiya—will be talked about often and will continue to bring smiles, laughter, and comfort for years to come.

Linda will also be remembered as a wonderful cook, a gift that brought many people together around her table. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local food bank in Linda's memory, with the hope that members of your community will gather around a table with the people they love most and feed not only their bellies but their souls as well.

A funeral will be held at 2:00pm on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at the Hopewell Chapel of J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home, 820 W. Broadway Avenue, Hopewell, Virginia. A visitation will be held the night prior, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at the funeral home. Following the funeral, burial will take place at Merchants Hope Memorial Gardens in Prince George, Virginia.