Dr. Linda Howard Tinsley

Dr. Linda Howard Tinsley passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 25, 2026, in her home in Dallas going to be with her Lord to her heavenly home. Linda was with her family, peaceful, quiet, and comfortable after a courageous battle with cancer.

Visitation with the family is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in the Garden Room at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. A celebration of life service will be held in the Chapel, on Friday, October 30 at 11:30 a.m. A family graveside service will follow at Oakwood Cemetery, Waco.

Linda was born on July 30, 1952, in Waco, Texas and is a 5th generation Wacoan. She was the second daughter of Dr. Duncan and Ann Lockwood Howard. She spent 50 years of her life in Waco, where she grew up living next door to her grandparents. She had wonderful memories of her childhood and her family summer trips to the Texas coast and trips with her grandparents to New York City. She was presented as a debutante by the Hedonia Club of Waco in 1971.

She attended Waco public schools from first grade to her senior year. She attended Hillcrest Elementary, Lake Air Junior High and graduated from Richfield High School in 1970. She went on to Baylor University where she earned three degrees including a BA, and MS in education and completed her doctoral studies with an Ed.D. in 1995. While at Baylor she completed a four-year teaching fellowship in the School of Education.

She was a member of Austin Avenue Methodist Church in Waco. She is the mother of Scott Goble, Grant Goble, and Lee Goble. Linda moved to Dallas in the summer of 2002 shortly after marrying the love of her life, Jack Tinsley.

Linda served others through a lifetime commitment to education. Over her career, she taught all ages from elementary to college. She served as Assistant Head and then Head of School at Vanguard College Preparatory School in Waco from 1993-2002. After she moved to Dallas in 2002, she enjoyed serving the school districts in north Texas as Program Coordinator for Student Support Services and Counselor Initiatives at Region 10 Education Service Center.

She was active in her community serving as president of the Junior League of Waco and later as a member of the Junior League of Dallas. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, Phi Delta Kappa, Henry Downs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and the Gov. Samuel Mathews Chapter Colonial Dames XVII. She was a member of Northwest Bible Church of Dallas and loved participating in the Berean Sunday School class, and Leah Ladies Bible Study.

Linda and Jack loved traveling. Their favorite trips included anywhere they were able to travel and enjoy new “shared experiences” Among their favorite trips were Alaska, Italy, Costa Rica and Israel and all across the US, especially Sedona and Mackinac Island.

Linda and Jack especially loved to travel to watch a horse race and enjoyed frequent trips to the most historic tracks across the nation. Their love of thoroughbred horses led them to partnerships with some very special friends as well as very special horses. One of their most exciting experiences was attending the 146th Kentucky Derby and the 2020 Breeder’s Cup Classic with winning horse, Authentic.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents, Duncan and Ann Howard and grandparents, Lee and Marie Lockwood and Bill and Gladys Howard.

Survivors include her beloved husband, Jack and her three sons and daughters-in-law; Scott Lockwood Goble and Tara, Grant Howard Goble and Kate, Lee Duncan Goble and Brittany Van Amburgh. Known as Meemaw, she was especially proud of her special little grandchildren, Brooks Lockwood Goble, Reagan O’Brien Goble, Jonah Duncan Goble, and Quinn Dove Goble. In addition, her sister, Ann Marie Cantrell and husband Charlie as well as brothers and sisters-in-law, John and Frankie Tinsley, George Tinsley, Eloise and Tom Chapman, and JoAnne and Bobby Mims. She is also survived by nieces and nephews Jennifer Cantrell Gaspard, Jeff Cantrell, Mitchell Chapman and Ashley Covert and husband Chance.

In leu of flowers, memorials can be made to Dr Linda Howard Tinsley Endowment Fund at Baylor Center for School Leadership, or the Methodist Children’s Home School Fund.

We invite you to leave a message or memory of Linda in her “Memorial Guestbook” at www.WHBfamily.com.