On Thursday, October 3, 1946, Hosie Thomas Jolly, Francis Elizabeth Yessick Jolly, and older sister, Peggy, welcomed Linda Ann Jolly into the world at Carraway Methodist Hospital, and a week later into their home in Warrior, Alabama. In the next few years, she was joined by her three brothers, Terry, Ricky, and Tookie. When she was 17, she met the love of her life, Ronald Hallmark. They were married on May 8, 1964, at Coaldale Church of God. In 1966, they welcomed their first son, Ronnie, into the world, and three months later, settled into their permanent home in the Cannon Crossing community. The family grew again in 1968, with their only daughter, Christie, again in 1972, with their second son, Devon, and once more in 1974, with a third son, Jason.
She was a neighborhood "Mama", as well as a babysitter for family, friends, and neighbors, so life was never boring in the Hallmark Household. She always had something planned to keep all of her children busy. She instilled the Christian faith in her family, as well as others, by teaching the nursery at church on Sundays, the kid's class on Wednesday nights, and also taught the young children's class at local bible schools every summer.
Her passions in life were documenting family vacations, local history, and Genealogy. Her legacy is her library where countless written volumes, audio cassettes, VHS tapes, CD's DVD's, and photographs remain to remind us of the very rich life we have lived thus far.
She peacefully slipped away on June 18, 2020, leaving behind her loving husband, Ira Ronald Lynn Hallmark, Sr.; daughter, Christie Renee Hallmark Vines (Jeff); sons, Ira Ronald Lynn Hallmark, Jr., Devon Coby Hallmark (Sherry), and Jason Dwayne Hallmark (Tracy); three grandsons, Samuel Keith Taylor (Mandy), Austin Montgomery Hallmark (Ashley), and Jackson Louis Hallmark; and two great-grandchildren, Samuel Lee Taylor and Lily Grace Hallmark. She also leaves her sister, Peggy Francis Jolly Kilgore; brothers, Hosie Terry Jolly (Pat) and Ricky Thomas Jolly (Cathy); sisters-in-law, Darlene Hallmark Maples (Tony), Pamela Beth Hardin (Terry); and brother-in-law, Terry Lee Hallmark (Helen). She was predeceased by her youngest brother, Charles Tookie Jolly.
Visitation will be Saturday, June 20, 2020, from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m., at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Hayden, AL. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m., at the church, with Dr. Sammie Reid officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
The family wishes to thank Peggy Kilgore, Gayla Tolbert, Darlene Maples, & Helen Hallmark for helping take care of Linda in the last few years. We also wish to thank the staff of Southern Beacon Hospice for the care given to Linda in the last year of her life.