Linda Stites

Linda M. Stites, age 64, of O’Fallon, Ill., born July 12, 1962, in East St. Louis, Ill. passed away peacefully on November 5, 2026, surrounded by her family at her residence after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Linda was raised in Belleville, graduated from Belleville West High School and Belleville Area College, and worked as a radiologic technologist for over 35 years. She married Ted Stites, Jr. on November 10, 1984 and they settled in O’Fallon where they raised their two children. Family was everything to Linda. She instilled in their children a deep love of reading with weekly trips to the public library. To this day, they both always have a book on them. An excellent baker, she was always browsing magazines and collecting new recipes. She never said no to making her fudgy sprinkle brownies. She supported her children in their every endeavor and modeled humility and kindness.

For much of her career, she was fondly known around town as “the woman who does my mammograms.” To the embarrassment of her husband and children, it was nearly impossible to go anywhere without someone approaching her because of that connection, but they also appreciated that they would chat with her as if they’d known her forever, expressing that “she’s the kindest woman and the best at what she does.” Her calm and gentle heart made her an excellent listener and an instant friend to so many. In recent years she was overjoyed to watch her two grandchildren as they grew up, and she shared her love with them.

In 2011, Linda was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Her family is forever grateful for the care from Dr. Mwiza Ushe and his team at Washington University and her friends at O’Fallon Rock Steady Boxing for keeping her moving and motivated against this disease for so long. They blessed us with many joyful years. In her final years, Nina Athmer served as a devoted caretaker for Linda, and her family is so grateful for her care and friendship.

Sarah Cable, her beloved niece, provided essential and loving care in her final days. The family is sincerely thankful for the assistance of Family Hospice of Belleville for making her final days a blessed and peaceful journey. Linda generously donated her brain tissue to WashU Medicine Neurology, Movement Disorders at Barnes-Jewish Hospital to further assist their research to find a cure for Parkinson’s Disease.

She will be missed by all who knew her. Linda is survived by her husband Ted, daughter Renee (Bryan) Kruep and their children Lydia and Aiden of O’Fallon, son Andy (Maggie Roche) Stites of Flagstaff, Ariz., parents John and Anita (nee Hemann) Lakenburges of O’Fallon, siblings Carol (Ben) Geolat of Swansea, Karl (Cindy-Lou) Lakenburges of O’Fallon, Lori (Danny) Cable of Millstadt, sister-in-law Suzanne Olsson of Collinsville, nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces.

Preceding her in death are her in-laws Ted and Lorraine Stites, Sr; brother-in-law Jeff Stites; and sister-in-law Pam Miller.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to St. Clare Catholic School, American Parkinson Disease Association, or Family Hospice of Belleville. Sign the online guestbook or message the family at www.wfh-ofallon.com.

A visitation will be held from 4 to 8 pm, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, at Wolfersberger Funeral Home, 102 W. Washington St., O’Fallon, Ill.

Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am, Thursday, November 12, 2026 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, 625 St. Nicholas Dr., O’Fallon with Father Nick Junker presiding. The family will receive friends at church one hour prior to Mass. Burial will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Shiloh, Ill.