Linda Sue Sproul

“Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care” – Linda Sue Giles Goodsell Sproul (6/21/1948 – 2/28/2024). This, and many other incredibly thoughtful life lessons is what she taught, not just her 8 kids—Denise (Scott) Demers, Krista (Craig) Olsen, Bruce (Trish) Goodsell (deceased), Zona Nelson, Jerilyn Arriola, Jerry (Tammy) Sproul Jr., Alisha (Randy) Homer, and Kim Ward—her 33 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and counting, but everyone she came in contact with as well. She wasn’t just a light to this world, but a teacher, a friend, a mentor, and a companion.

Born on June 21, 1948 to Zona Lapreele Carrell and William Guy Giles in Roosevelt, Utah, Linda Sue would be the last of five children, 11 years younger than her youngest brother and 5 years younger than her deceased sister, Margaret. But this didn’t stop her from tagging along with them. She often went on their dates, worked on the farm, or teased them just as they did her— “I had to work hard just to prove I could keep up”. But her brothers, Ted Giles (deceased), Orson Giles (deceased), and Bill Giles (deceased) did not care as they loved taking her around their small town of Othello, Washington until she graduated high school in 1966 before attending Rick’s College in Rexburg, Idaho where she obtained her associates degree in elementary education in 1968.

She always told us she could help us marry our dream and lucky for her she got to do it twice. She married her first husband, Bruce Lynn Goodsell in the Idaho Falls temple on August 2, 1968 and gave birth to the first of many children (Michael Bruce Goodsell). Unfortunately, their personal Eden was cut short when he was killed in the Vietnam war on June 6, 1971. Three years later, she found her life-long love, Jerry Kenneth Sproul (deceased), and married him on November 14, 1974, creating their own Brady Bunch.

From that day forward she lived out her childhood dream, to be a loving, caring, and fun mother—and that she was. Linda and Jerry made sure that their kids had every opportunity they could imagine. We played basketball, soccer, baseball, and every other sport under the sun. But most importantly, at least to Linda, we were musical. Each of us specializing in an instrument and, of course, learned how to sing. You may remember us from our performing days in our matching outfits made by Linda singing, dancing, and performing for the whole world to see. ABBA put it best “thank you for the music, for giving it to me”. Our life would not be the same if, Linda, a generous, caring, and loving wife, mother, and grandmama was not in it.

She used her life to care for those around her and to make sure that everyone felt special, loved, and important. Every single person she encountered knew by the end that they were meant for something—meant to love, be loved, and find happiness. She used her life to be like Christ.

“I’m a ‘you need to be there’ type of funny.” Well, ‘mama, we are so grateful for every moment that we were there. Thank you for showing us how to care and how much you care. Please join us to celebrate this wonderful life. A viewing will be held Friday, March 8th from 6-7:30 and then on Saturday, March 9th from 12-12:45 with the funeral following at 1 at the Iona Stake Center 7555 North 55th East, Idaho Falls, Idaho. And remember “You are loved. You are so precious to me.”