Linda was born on August 31, 1950 in Sinton, Texas to James and Doris Vickers. She graduated from Aransas Pass High School in 1967 as the salutatorian and a standout athlete in basketball and volleyball. She married Ray Torno on August 23, 1969 and they remained devoted to one another for 52 years while raising their three children, Shannon, Shane, and Steve.
While she was bringing up her own family she also earned a bachelor’s degree from Corpus Christi State University and a master’s degree from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, both in education. She was a nurturer and teacher by nature and taught for many years in the Corpus Christi Independent School District. Her competitive nature was apparent in her athletic endeavors, playing basketball and volleyball in her youth and coaching junior high and high school teams throughout her adult life. Her girl’s soccer teams at Carroll High School during her tenure were dominant, winning the district championship for 12 straight years at one point. Through her coaching and teaching she touched many lives and helped many young men and women build their character and develop into adulthood.
In 1971 Ray and Linda joined a small congregation of Christians meeting at Brawner Parkway. Upon joining the work at Parkway she started a children’s Bible class. She never really stopped teaching after that, maintaining almost continuous service in the Bible Class program for 50 years.
While she loved cooking as a hobby and act of service, her favorite hobby was spending time with her grandkids. Shane has said that while she was a great mom, she was born to be a grandmother. She spent countless hours attending sporting events, band concerts, piano recitals, spelling bees, award ceremonies, and art shows. She was actively involved in her grandchildren’s lives, taking them to school, doctor appointments, practices, lessons, games, and getaways. Her favorite activity each year was the summertime “Grandma Trip” where she took every available grandchild, and with Shannon’s help, spoiled them rotten for a week out of town.
She and Ray were able to enjoy many travels together through the years and they especially enjoyed Alaskan cruises.
The most striking aspect of her life was her Christian faith and her devotion to serving God above all else. By endeavoring to follow Jesus she brought light to all those she met.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her twin brother, William Vickers; her brother James; her husband Ray; her children, Shannon Madden (Glenn), Shane Torno (Amy), and Steve Torno (Ginny); her grandchildren, Christine Ortiz (David), Mathew and Hannah Madden, Benjamin and Caleb Torno, and Tyson and Hailey Torno; and one great-grandson, Vincent Ortiz. She will be missed dearly by her family, including her in-laws who have always been as close as parents, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters.
A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM on Friday, February 18th, 2022 at the Parkway Church of Christ at 4141 Brawner Parkway in Corpus Christi. Flowers may be sent to that address or donations in her memory can be made to Sacred Selections South Texas, 1121 Elizabeth Street, Sinton, TX 78387. Sacred Selections assists Christian families in the adoption process to ensure that God’s most precious gifts are nurtured and loved, a goal Linda’s life exemplified.