Linda Lee Rock, 70, of Duluth, died unexpectedly at home on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014. She was born in Duluth. Linda graduated from Duluth Central High School in 1961 and studied art at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

Linda was an animal lover and a talented artist who specialized in colored pencil and charcoal drawings. Linda had a talent for painting and refinishing furniture. She loved antiques and worked at Father Time, Old Town Antiques and Chester Creek Book Store.

An animal lover, Linda was a lifelong member of Animal Allies. She worked on the humane society's newsletters in the 1990s. She contributed sketches and design skills. She also coordinated the annual Animal Allies rummage sale for many years.

Linda and her late mother, Gert, met many friends by renting rooms to those being treated at Miller-Dwan and St. Mary's. She loved getting to know folks and maintained those friendships over the years.

She was also known for her "like butter" blintzes that she made once a year at Christmas. Linda had a lifelong love of reading and fell in love with the tales of a young wizard named Harry Potter. She read every book and listened to the books on tape every day. In the words of J.K. Rowling's Sirius Black: "But know this the ones that love us never leave us. And you can always find them in here, in your heart."

Linda was preceded in death by her father, John Paul Rock; her mother, Gertrude Stycket-Rock-Barr; and her step-dad, Carl Barr. Linda was devoted to her mom and was Gert's caregiver in her final years of life. Linda also was preceded in death by her beloved black Labrador, Meggie, and the many cats that she rescued, particularly Madeline, Morris, Marmaduke and her favorite, Sam.

Linda is survived by her brother, Jerry Rock, and his wife, Marie Louise; her nephews David (Beth), Martin (Judy), and Alan (Stephanie) Rock; her niece Louise (Mike) Kohn; her cousin Beth (Walt) Boyd; and her closest friends, Wendy Stuart and Holly Gruber.

VISITATION: 12 Noon Monday, Sept. 29, 2014 until the 1 p.m. memorial service in Dougherty Funeral Home. Burial will be at Park Hill Cemetery.