Linda Lattimore Cheek, age 82, of Etowah, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on the evening of July 9, 2026, at Morning Pointe Assisted Living, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born on September 25, 1943, in Etowah, Tennessee.

Linda was an only child, born to the late Sam Browder Lattimore and Frances Adele Harper Lattimore. She grew up in an environment rich in love, security, and the belief that she could achieve any goal she set for herself if she was willing to work hard enough. And work hard, she did.

She is survived by her loving husband, William Don Cheek; her son, William David Cheek and his wife, Whitney Cheek, and Whitney's daughter, Mallory Myatt Lane; her daughter, Elizabeth Cheek Rose and her husband, Thomas Barnard; her cherished grandchildren, Samuel Browder Rose and his wife, Christina, and Sarah Rose Noel and her husband, Seth; and her great-grandson, Graham Browder Noel.

Linda was a 1961 graduate of Etowah High School. She attended Tennessee Wesleyan College in Athens, where she earned her bachelor's degree in education; the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she earned her master's degree; and Lincoln Memorial University, where she earned her Educational Specialist degree in Educational Administration and Supervision.

Her life was dedicated to education, for teaching was her passion. She wrote in her professional biography:

"As I was growing up in the town of Etowah, my life was continually being affected by the various factors operating in such a small community. None of these stimuli, however, were greater than that of the many teachers in Etowah City School who played an important role in molding the person I was to become."

After being a stay-at-home mother and raising David and Elizabeth, Linda began her teaching career in 1972 at Etowah City School. She later taught at Ingleside Elementary School in the Athens City School System from 1985 to 2006 before returning to Etowah City School as principal, where she served from 2006 until she retired. During and after her teaching career, she served as a mentor and supervising teacher for students from Tennessee Wesleyan University, Lee University, and the University of Tennessee.

Linda was a member of many professional organizations and served in numerous leadership roles throughout her career, always striving to improve teaching and student learning while putting her students first. She was among the first teachers in the State of Tennessee to earn National Board Certification and was named Tennessee State Teacher of the Year in 1997. Her influence reached far beyond the classroom, leaving a lasting legacy in the lives of countless students, educators, and families throughout East Tennessee.

Linda was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church in Etowah until the church dissolved. She and Don then became faithful members of Mars Hill Presbyterian Church in Athens.

Above all else, Linda treasured her family and friends. She found her greatest happiness in spending time with her children, grandchildren, and her many teacher and church friends. She loved cheering on the VOLS and was always the biggest fan of her children and grandchildren in all of their activities.

Her kindness, generous heart, unwavering love for her family, and faithful encouragement will be deeply missed and forever remembered by all who knew and loved her.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate Linda's life on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Mars Hill Presbyterian Church, 205 N. Jackson St., Athens, TN 37303. Fellowship with the family will follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Mars Hill Presbyterian Church, 205 N. Jackson St., Athens, TN 37303.