Linda Locke
Director of Christian Education

Linda Locke is the youngest of three girls that were raised on a farm in the Smoky Mountains.  Her father was a Project Engineer with Kraft Foods, which resulted in the family traveling extensively throughout her childhood.

When Linda was in middle school, her family relocated to a suburb of Dallas, Garland, Texas.  This move proved to be one of Linda’s fondest memories because, as they did with each new city, the family found a local church to attend.  With each move, the local church helped Linda’s family to settle into the community, and to this day is very much a part of her heart and passion.

Linda graduated from Asbury College and Asbury Theological Seminary where she received a Master’s Degree in Christian Education.  Although she and Joe-Reeves Locke knew each other in college, they did not begin dating until their ten-year reunion. Linda was serving as Christian Education Director in Tifton, Georgia, and Joe-Reeves was working in Memphis. They became engaged in December of 1988, and were planning to be married the following year.  Joe-Reeves had already begun working at a refugee camp in the Philippines when Linda was once again diagnosed with Hodgkins Cancer.  This delayed their getting married to December of 1990.  Within 24 hours of their wedding, they were back in the Philippines where Linda began teaching English and volunteering at the local school.  She also directed the children’s choir.

In 1992, with sadness in their hearts, the Locke’s had to leave the Philippines due to the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.  They moved to West Tennessee where Joe-Reeves began teaching ESL.  The first evening back, Linda made a contact that eventually led to her accepting a Director of Christian Education position with Somerville United Methodist Church.

In 1998, she received a call from HUMC Pastor Garry Speich, and the rest is history.  Her primary responsibility at HUMC is to provide and help coordinate curriculum for Sunday school classes and Wednesday evening programming.  Anyone that’s been around Linda for long knows that she’s a good sport, loves to laugh, and isn’t afraid to jump in with both feet!