Linda Queen Neese, 84, passed away on October 14, 2026, in Arab, Alabama. Born and raised in Broward County, Florida, Linda was proud of her Florida roots and loved referring to herself as a “native Floridian.”
Linda worked as a nurse for the Florida Department of Health, where she spent many years before retiring. She later spent part of her retirement in Cullman, Alabama. She will always be remembered for her amazing cooking, especially her fried chicken and homemade biscuits and gravy. She was also an excellent seamstress who created beautiful quilts.
Linda was a girl of the ’50s through and through, growing up in the days of jukeboxes, hula hoops, and Elvis Presley. She once sat through Love Me Tender eight times in a single weekend at the movie theater, dressed in her dad’s button-down dress shirt, rolled-up jeans, and saddle shoes.
Some of her favorite singers were Roy Acuff, Kitty Wells, and Loretta Lynn. She enjoyed watching Hee Haw and listening to Gaither gospel music. Linda also loved a good Western, especially those starring John Wayne, Gene Autry, and Audie Murphy.
Linda is survived by her daughter, Zana Kelley Costley (Kevin); her son, Carl Givens (Connie); her brother, Leslie Neese (Toni); and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Samuel Neese and Sarah Arnold; her sisters, Lauralee and Sandy; her brother, Sam “Guy” Neese; her daughter, Sissy Givens; her son, Frankie Givens; and her grandson, C.J. Givens.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to the nurses and staff at Diversicare Healthcare for the exceptional care and kindness they showed their “Linda Lou.”
The family has chosen to honor her wishes with cremation, with a service in her hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She will be laid to rest alongside her family in the Evergreen Cemetery.
