Linda Diane Halifax, 81, of Lakeland, FL, passed away on Wednesday, May 27th, 2026, from the complications of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center.

Linda Lawrence was born in Highland Park, MI on February 8th, 1945. She was the only child of Margaret Lawrence (formerly, Loiselle), who had been born in Valleyfield, QC. Margaret was a beauty salon owner in Centerline, MI, and raised Linda in an apartment above the shop located on Van Dyke. Linda was baptized Lutheran but became a Baptist soon into her adult years.

From the earliest of ages, Linda’s ambition was to become a wife and mother. She had stated the many family television shows during the 1950s were an influence upon her.

While Linda had been an excellent student at Centerline High School, including graduating beauty school at sixteen, she declined her acceptance to MSU’s teaching program and married Robert J. Billingsley in August of 1966. The marriage produced three sons, Robert, James, and Jack, whom she always referred to by their middle names, respectively, Shawn, Scott and Bryan.

At nearly forty years old, Linda graduated nursing school, finding a profession she truly loved and took great pride in. Most of her nursing career was spent working in the ICU at what was then called Macomb Hospital in Warren, MI.

She soon married Richard E. Halifax, a die setter at the Ford Van Dyke Plant, on March 30th, 1986, and they continued raising Linda’s sons, in addition to Richard’s son, Brian D. Halifax, who became to Linda a fourth child, in Sterling Heights, MI.

The couple retired in 1998 and moved to Evart, MI, purchasing a home on Lake Miramichi, where they became dedicated members of the South Evart Community Free Methodist Church.

Richard and Linda moved to Lakeland, FL, in 2017. Linda started a book club, while they both enjoyed gatherings and card games with newfound friends, along with others who were also from the Evart area.

They found blissfulness in any time they had to spend with their several grandchildren over the years, in both Evart and Lakeland. Richard died in 2020 due to lung cancer and was greatly loved and missed by Linda.

Linda was grateful she had several friends who were considered best friends. Additionally, she has been described as a “sweet lady” and “my second mom,” to a “wise friend who I could always trust for counsel.” She was a person who brought an energy of positivity to any room and an accepting smile to friend and stranger alike.

Any hurts she experienced from family or friends, forgiveness was a second nature for Linda. The family does know she did many charitable acts for friends and family which she would not want recounted.

Linda is survived by her sons, Robert Shawn Billingsley and daughter-in-law, Virginia of Warren, MI; James Scott Billingsley and daughter-in-law, Andrea of Goodyear, AZ; Jack Bryan Billingsley of Saline, MI, and Brian Donald Halifax of Lakeland, FL. Linda’s surviving grandchildren are Chase James Billingsley, Autumn Lee Murphy (formerly, Billingsley), Sydne’ Chanel Higginbotham, Jackson Dwight Billingsley and Peyton Lynn Billingsley. Additionally, Linda has a surviving great grandchild, Artimus Zae Billingsley.

Linda was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Eugene Halifax and her mother Margaret Lawrence.

A graveside memorial will be held at Downing Cemetery in Deckerville, MI, on August 22, 2026 at 1pm.