Linda Kaye Herrera

Linda Kaye Herrera passed away peacefully on Friday, May 29th, 2020 at the age of 72.

She was born to Howard and Donella Jimmerson on November 16th, 1947 in the town of Port Arthur, Texas, seated on the South Western edge of Sabine Lake which is bifurcated by the Texas and Louisiana boarder and empties into the Gulf of Mexico just fifteen miles to the South. Though born in Port Arthur, she grew up in the small, bordering town of Groves.

As a child, Linda learned to play the piano, and enjoyed singing in her Baptist church choir. Like most children who grow up near an ocean, lake, or river, she accordingly learned to swim which was a sporting activity she loved beyond all others.

She had a natural affinity for water and enjoyed swimming laps, water skiing during her summers, and later as an adult, taking part in water aerobics classes.

Like her older brother, James Jimmerson, who enjoyed designing and building amateur stock car racers, she too was skilled with her hands and excelled at painting, sketching, sculpture, and crewel work. Her mother taught her to use a sewing machine so she could make her own clothes, just as her mother had done before her. It is at this time that she discovered her knack for putting together a chic ensemble and ultimately a love of couture clothing. The elements of design: color, line, point, shape, texture, space, and form made perfect sense to Linda and always informed her sense of self and of the world. It is through this artistic foundation that she was able to appreciate and enjoy the fine arts, fashion design, and interior design.

As Linda matured into a vivacious teenager, the sounds of Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and the Beach Boys could always be heard on the other side of her bedroom door. It is during this period of her life that Linda discovered the music of legendary singer, Janis Joplin, who was also born in Port Arthur one year after her, and who was also raised in Groves. Joplin’s desire to move beyond the confines of small-town life to experience the broader world, as expressed in countless interviews and her music itself, made a huge impression on Linda. Though they never knew each other, both women were, after all, artists, and artists need new and enlightening experiences in order to thrive and express their truth.

As a young woman, Linda was greatly inspired by the immortal words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His messages about the importance of tolerance, social justice, racial equality, common civility, and love of thy neighbor likely were the foundation of her ability to take people exactly as they were. She was accepting of others and was always willing and excited to discover new worlds that could be found in the hearts and minds of the people she met and befriended.

While attending Lamar State College (now called Lamar University) as a home economics major, she met her future husband, Texas A&M ROTC Cadet

Ernest D. Herrera, while on a blind date in College Station. The two eventually married and Linda soon gave birth to their only son, Adrian D. Herrera. Shortly after that, the family of three moved to Brindisi, Italy, on the Adriatic Sea where Ernest was stationed as an officer in the United States Air Force. It was during this time that Linda finally had a chance to experience what the greater world had to offer through the richness of European history and culture. Linda would later say of their time on the Adriatic, “That was the thing about Italy, it was never boring!”

From Italy, she and her family, as part of her husband’s Air Force assignments, lived in: California, North Dakota, Virginia, and Ohio. The family finally settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she lived ever since. She delighted in the rich Native American and Spanish cultures of The Land of Enchantment and marveled at the work of Georgia O’Keefe and RC Gorman, as well as many other artists and photographers. She loved the landscape and the vast blue sky of the desert. Shades of blue were her very favorite colors. She found them to be deep and serene, of comfort.

Linda was a woman of so many extraordinary qualities. Chief among them, though, was her sheer ability to love unconditionally, to be compassionate, to have empathy for others, and to be generous – always. As a devout Christian, she did her absolute best to live by The Golden Rule. She was thoughtful and always hoped she could be your friend.

She is preceded in death by her father, Howard Jimmerson; her brother, James Jimmerson; and her mother, Donella Jimmerson.  Linda is survived by her husband, Ernest Herrera; son, Adrian Herrera and his wife Elizabeth Schroder; and grandson, Emerson Herrera.

She will be forever missed.

A Visitation will be held Saturday, June 13th, 2020, 11:00 a.m. at FRENCH - Lomas.  A Private graveside service will be held at Sunset Memorial Park.

Due to COVID 19, our family fully understands if you are unable to attend.