https://RecordU.lnk.to/Angel

Image

When I was about 12 years old, I first learned of eternal marriage.  I remember sitting on my back porch in the morning sunshine and dreaming of a little blond girl I would someday meet and marry for eternity.  I think Linda was that little blond girl I dreamed of.

In mid-July 1969, Dwayne Case, the program director of KOVO-960 in Provo, Utah, hired me to work on the air.  I was planning to also attend BYU in September.  In those days we had to read the news during our program.  One month later Dwayne laid me off (terminated me) because I was poor at reading news on the air. So on August 28, 1969, I began working at Signectics up on the Orem hill on University Parkway as an electronics technician.  This is where I met a blond girl named Linda Ward, who was among over 100 single girls working there during my shift, and I was the only single guy. I thought she was the prettiest girl there. A year and a half later we were married. Thank you, Dwayne, for canning me! I never would have met Linda otherwise since she was not a radio groupie who called on the request line.   (Click image to enlarge)

Linda's Passing

In Spring 2019, Linda was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and was given 2 years to live with chemotherapy.  After chemo, herbal teas, removal of a large tumor, radiation, cryo-ablation, and many blessings and prayers, we thought we had reversed her death sentence. But Heavenly Father had His divine reasons to bring her home immediately.  After she received the 3rd round of her second chemotherapy program, we believe her organs began shutting down which lead to her peaceful passing - as if she fell asleep.

Image

Linda's Funeral Services
Our Love Songs

This is the last picture taken of Linda while living.  The Christmas tree is still standing and the LED lights are still lit.                             Setting up the Christmas tree and decorations is the last thing we did together, and the tree will remain until we are together again.

I thank Cristy, Tauna, and Deserie for the wonderful blanket and pillow with Linda's pictures on them that I have placed on our bed.

Image

Image

My friend and listener Fred Butterfield sent an email to me on Saturday, July 15, 2025, the day before Linda's birthday.   I am sharing this beautiful portion of it:

We celebrated our 46th Anniversary this past Monday.  In life we have important dates that we remember such as birthdays and days of family, friends and loved ones returning home to our beloved Savior.  We also celebrate wedding anniversaries. For couples sealed in the Temples that are prevalent throughout the world, the most important date to be remembered throughout the eternities is that special date of sealing. Whenever I think of the sealing date I remember what was said at Patricia Holland’s funeral service by our beloved prophet Russell M. Nelson. Patricia was born February 16, 1942 in Enterprise, Utah where my dear friends, Bruce and Sandra Hunt as well as their two sons Bryson and Tyler are buried. Sister Holland returned home to our beloved Father in Heaven July 20, 2023 at the age of 81. She and Apostle Elder Jeffrey R. Holland were sealed in the St. George Temple June 7, 1963. Death is a gateway along the path of eternal progress,” Though hard for those of us left behind, we know that Sister Holland’s resurrection is certain and eternal life lies ahead. Death is both a necessity and a blessing. God’s great plan of happiness requires that each of us pass through that gateway. Sister Holland’s righteous spirit is now born again into the paradise of God. She continues on her path to eternal life.” President Nelson assured the congregation that, in time, Elder and Sister Holland would be reunited. “They will later be joined by their beautiful children and their covenant-keeping posterity to experience the fulness of joy that God has in store for His faithful children.” Knowing that, he continued, the most important date in Sister Holland’s life was not her birthday or her death date. “Her most important date was June 7, 1963, when she and Jeff were sealed in the St. George Temple. This ordinance sealed them together forever. They have been completely faithful to their promises to each other and to Heavenly Father. Their children were born in that covenant and have remained totally faithful to that covenant. Why is all this so important? Because the very reason the earth was created was so families could be formed and sealed to each other. Salvation is an individual matter, but exaltation is a family matter. No one can be exalted alone.” Thus in Analisa and I’s lives our most important date is July 7, 1979 when we were sealed as husband and wife by Elder Rulon James Sperry. He was a sealer for over 24 years and sealed over 500 couples of which Analisa and I were one. On July 7, 1979 Analisa and I made covenants with the Lord and to each other and began our eternal family unit.

Thank you for that, Fred! It is absolutely beautiful! 
And June 16, 1971 (10:22 AM) is the most important date for me. It was the happiest day of my life!  It is the day that Heavenly Father gave Linda to me and me to her for eternity when Benjamin Bowring married and sealed us in the Salt Lake Temple.  

Love, Carl Watkins

Debbie West Coon released "There are Angels About You" on her album "Prince of Peace" at Christmas time 2021. It has become very meaningful to me. The pain that it once gave me has turned to joy! Thank you Debbie! Thank you! it is the story of my new life. 

"There Are Angels About Us" - Debbie West Coon

"The Sweetest Gift" - Craig Aven & The Piano Guys

"Broken Hearts Like Mine" - Cherie Call: