Linda Louise (Ternes) O'Brien, died March 14, 2020 surrounded by her family. She was born June 3, 1937 in Wesley, Iowa, to Lawrence Andrew Ternes and Mildred Christina (Kollasch) Ternes, number 8 of 9 children. She grew up in Ledyard, Iowa and graduated from Ledyard School in 1955. She attended Mankato Business School in Mankato, Minnesota and graduated in May 1956.

Linda met Thomas J. O'Brien, from Blue Earth, Minnesota, in 1954. After completing her Business School education, she moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma the end of May 1956 and lived in a boarding house. She found a job immediately, married Tom on June 30, 1956 at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church and made Tulsa their home. Their first apartment was over a dry-cleaning business on 11th & Elgin. They would walk everywhere, shopping, work and Mass at Holy Family. Over the years they also worshiped at Saint Francis Catholic Church, Christ the King Catholic Church and Saint John Fisher. Early in their married life they developed a relationship with Scotty and Mary Taylor that developed into a life-long relationship and mutually adopted each other as family. Tom and Linda raised four children, Alice O'Brien Ratliff, Therese O'Brien Pitts, Patricia O'Brien and Thomas O'Brien Jr.

She worked for Aetna Life & Casualty for 29 years before retiring on September 1, 1991. Following her retirement Tom and Linda enjoyed traveling across the country, from West Coast to the East Coast, Minnesota to Texas and even Mexico. She loved to go fishing, gardening, and canning fruits and vegetables.

Linda was unwavering in her faith, devoted to her husband and children. She was very proud of her children and their accomplishments, but also their children. She is especially proud of her grandchildren who chose careers in public service in the fire and police departments and nursing. She is grandma to 18 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years; her parents; her sisters Adeline, Marion and Ann; brothers Charles, Harry, and Wayne. She is survived by her siblings Lawrence and Leroy Ternes; her three daughters Alice Ratliff (Don), Therese Pitts (Ricky), Patricia O'Brien and son Thomas O'Brien Jr. (Janet); grandchildren Zachery, Jeffery (Sara) & Clayton Ratliff, Rebecca Todd (Anthony), Rachel Cobb, Michael (Ashley), Stephen (Tara), John, Joseph and Catherine Pitts, Jessica Finnegan (Anthony), Sarah, David & Eric Baker, Tiffany Lesseg (Derek), Joshua, Christina & Nathan O'Brien; great grandchildren Kasen Ratliff, Trevor, Annabelle, Benjamin & Eli Todd, Zac & Zoe Cobb, Shaelynn & Skylar Pitts, Adley Finnegan, Emma Baker, Layaha Alexander, Zander Lesseg, and great-great grandchild Ayden; numerous nieces and nephews; and dearest friends.

Visitation will be Tuesday, from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., at Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel. Rosary and Funeral Service will begin at 11:00 a.m., on Wednesday, March 18, 2020, at Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel Funeral Home, 14th and South Boulder Avenue, Tulsa. Interment will be at Rose Hill Memorial Park Cemetery, Tulsa.

Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 918-585-1151