Linda Louise Hartley

Jul 11, 1949 -

Nov 20, 2025

Linda Louise Hartley passed peacefully on Nov. 20, 2025, in Carmel, Ind., following complications from injuries sustained in a fall. She was born on July 11, 1949, in Salem, Ore., to Robert Wesley Hartley and Marilyn Starr (Morse) Hartley.

Linda grew up in Salem and graduated from North Salem High School. She attended the University of Oregon before setting out on a bold new adventure in Hawaii in 1968, where she lived a life of friendship, meaningful work and lasting memories. After returning to Oregon, Linda married and later lived in Michigan and Virginia, where her sons were born and raised. In 1983, the family returned to Oregon, allowing her to remain close to family and to continue building a life centered on creativity, faith and service.

A gift from her grandmother Morse helped launch one of the defining chapters of Linda's life: a career in sewing, quilting, sales and creative entrepreneurship. She worked for Whitlock's Sewing, later opened her own store, Sew Much More! in McMinnville, Ore., and went on to work with Viking Distributing, traveling throughout the Northwest teaching and mentoring.

In 2006, Linda moved to Anchorage, Alaska, where she helped the successful launch of the restored McKinley Tower Apartments. She retired in 2014. After a serious car accident in 2017, Linda faced later health challenges with resilience and grace. In 2022, she moved to Indiana to be near her son Benjamin and his family.

Linda was known for her integrity, warmth, humor, creativity and remarkable ability to make people laugh. She was an accomplished storyteller, seamstress, quilter, decorator and salesperson who brought beauty and excellence to everything she did. She was also a breast cancer survivor and a woman of deep and abiding faith.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Marilyn Hartley; grandparents, Charles Dean and Georgia Leanna Starr Morse, and James Madison and Grace Naomi Hughes Hartley. She is survived by her brother, Robert Hartley (Pam) of Prineville, Ore.; sister, Lael Marlow (Marc) of Anchorage; sons, Andrew Frobig (Samantha) of Fargo, N.D., and Benjamin Frobig (Leslie) of Carmel, Ind.; granddaughters, Kendall and Ellie Frobig; and beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at Faith Christian Community, 4240 Wisconsin Street in Anchorage. A second memorial service will be held in Salem on Friday, Aug. 14, 2026. Linda's ashes will be spread in Hawaii, her "happy place," on July 11, 2026, the day that would have marked her 77th birthday.