Linda Kay Starr (75) of Terre Haute passed away peacefully at home on April 15th, 2026, with her daughters by her side.

Linda was born in Terre Haute, Indiana, on September 23rd, 1950, to John Gordon and Mildred Essie Bland.

Linda recounted stories about her youth growing up on a farm. After attending West Vigo High School, she went on to earn a master of Science degree from Indiana State University. She loved her time in college and would often speak of it fondly.

Linda met her husband, John Jeffrey Starr, at one of Mad Manson's Howl at the Moon parties. John proposed to Linda after they saw the film The Dark Crystal in 1982, and they were married on May 12th, 1984. They honeymooned in Scotland. Together they enjoyed searching for artifacts, exploring history, and shared similar worldviews. Linda and John had two children, whom they loved.

Linda enjoyed shopping and browsing through antique stores and flea markets. She liked to attend gem and mineral shows, Scottish festivals, and historical rendezvous, such as the Spirit of Vincennes. Later in life, she also enjoyed going to conventions with her daughters. Her hobbies included painting, yard work, crafting, reading, and listening to music. She was interested in religion, history, mythology, cryptids, mermaids, angels, and fairies. She had a fairy village in her yard for many years and collected fairy figures. She loved small dogs and creatures, seashells, butterflies, coxcomb flowers, stained glass, holograms, and pretty, iridescent things. Opals were her favorite gemstones. She loved jewelry and had a penchant for beautiful, fairytale, and Victorian-inspired clothing. She always liked the idea of living in a lighthouse by the sea. She admired Princess Diana and Jackie Kennedy.

She enjoyed the music of The Bee Gees, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart, John Michael Talbot, Enya, Alex Beaton, Blake Shelton, and Train. Her favorite authors were Jane Austin, Thomas Hardy, Beatrix Potter, Louisa May Alcott, Billy Graham, L.A. Marzulli, the Brontë sisters, Edgar Cayce, and John Michael Talbot. Her favorite films were Somewhere in Time, Merlin (1998), The Two Worlds of Jennie Logan, Little Women (1994), Summer Magic (1963), Pride and Prejudice (1995) The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Dark Crystal, Jane Eyre (1997), Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Follow the River (1995), among many others. Masterpiece Theatre was not to be missed. Period pieces and fantasy were her favorite film genres. Like her husband, a part of her longed to live in, or at least experience the past in whatever means feasible.

Linda loved to give people gifts and make people happy. She had a bold side and a sometimes mischievous sense of humor. Her inner world would shine in her eyes and smile. Words cannot always summon the magnitude of a person's character. She will always be loved and is greatly missed.

She is survived by her daughters, Ainslee Mae Starr and Kelsey Linwood Starr of Terre Haute, her nephew, Jeff Hogue of West Terre Haute, and her niece, Stacey Dufour of Florida. Her dog-daughter, Chloe, also survives.

Linda was preceded in death by her husband, John Starr; her mother and father, Mildred and John Bland; siblings, Shirley Batchelor, Gornetta Bland, Shelby Jean Hogue, Donald Bland, and Thurman Bland.

Memorial contributions can be made on Linda's behalf to The Brothers and Sisters of Charity (https://littleportion.org/), The Vigo County Humane Society (https://www.thhs.org/animals/browse?Page=7&Status=Available,Sponsorship), Ouabache Valley Felines & Friends, Inc. (https://www.facebook.com/ouabachevalleyfelinesandfriends/), or The Light House Mission (https://lhmission.org/).