Linda Self Roper, age 84, of Memphis, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on May 22, 2026. She was born on June 14, 1941, in Brownwood, Texas, the daughter of Tilman and Minnie Lee Self. She graduated from Plainview High School in 1959 and married Randall Roper on February 20, 1960, raising three sons on a farmstead north of Olton, Texas. She later earned a Bachelor's degree in Organizational Management from Lubbock Christian University. As the public librarian in OIton from 1982 to 2013, she wrote and was awarded numerous library and technology grants and broadly promoted reading and literacy within the community, from leading weekly Story Time with small children to teaching ESL classes among native Spanish speakers. Upon her retirement, she was honored as Olton’s Citizen of the Year.

Linda’s many loves included quilting, painting, gardening, RVing, square dancing, listening to flowing streams, and gathering with family in the Rocky Mountains. She was an avid conversationalist and loved to discuss just about anything. Refreshingly forthright, she disliked pretentiousness and pomposity and loved settings where respectful disagreement was welcomed. Upon moving to Memphis in 2021, she quickly made friends at Idlewild Presbyterian Church and elsewhere. Always busy with multiple projects, she once said, “Doing nothing is what I am the least good at!” She also said, “I have no problem with motivation or curiosity. There’s too little time to do all we want.”

Linda is survived by son, Todd and wife Belinda of Mounds, OK, son, Brad of Memphis, TN, and son, Tony and wife Amanda of Abilene, TX. Grandchildren are Brandon Roper of Tulsa, OK, Tahlia Roper of Tulsa, OK, Quinn Roper of Memphis, TN, Elisha Roper of Abilene, TX, and Nancy Franklin of McKinney, TX. Additionally, she is survived by her brother, Edward Self and wife Mary Anna of Lubbock, TX, sisters-in-law, Mary Byrd of Plainview, TX and Helen Roper of Bowie, TX, cousin, Laura Flowers of Ranger, TX, and one great-grandchild, Emerson Franklin, of McKinney, TX.

A service of remembrance in Memphis, Tennessee will be held at 4:00PM on June 6, 2026, in the Chapel of Idlewild Presbyterian Church.

A graveside service in Plainview, Texas, will be held at 2:00 PM on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at Plainview Cemetery.

The family requests that memorial donations be sent to:

Friends of the Library

PO Box 675

Olton, TX 79064