Linda M. (Macfarlane) Maselli

Linda Marie Maselli passed away unexpectedly in the early morning on April 6, 2023. She was 67 years old.

Linda was born in Joliet, Illinois on December 12, 1955. She was the oldest child and only girl born to Caridad and John Macfarlane. Her two younger brothers were John and Pat (James) Macfarlane.

She grew up on the family farm, and spent time with lots of aunts, uncles, cousins, and high school friends, many of whom she remained close to through the years.

After graduating from St. Francis Academy, she worked for LaSalle Bank, commuting every day to Chicago by train. She finally decided to move to the big city in 1977, where she met her future husband, John Maselli Jr, who also worked for the bank. She asked him to help her move into her new apartment, and much to her surprise, he showed up. That was their first date.

When John proposed to Linda after 10 years of dating, he knew he would be transferred to California shortly. Part of the deal was that she had to be willing to move with him, and she was. They married on March 28, 1987, at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Joliet.

They honeymooned in California, driving up the Pacific Coast Highway from Los Angeles to Elk, north of San Francisco. John had booked a cabin in Elk with a view of the ocean – a lovely space but without a TV. Linda made them switch rooms.

Their only child, John III, was born in California in November of 1989. He was named after his father and both grandfathers.

When Linda was pregnant with John III, the entire Maselli clan traveled to Tuscany in Italy. Linda couldn’t climb the leaning tower in Pisa but enjoyed the gelato there and elsewhere.

The young family moved back and forth several times between the Chicago area and California. They bought their current house in Barrington in 1993, where they lived for over 30 years.

Linda was a stay-at-home mom and an avid crafter. She made jewelry, arranged flowers, and created decorative vignettes.  She collected nutcrackers, Christmas ornaments – especially Christopher Radko and Patricia Breen – flat wooden Santas and small German wooden people. Their house has several Christmas trees up all year long – a kitchen tree with cooking and food ornaments, one with small photos and crystal dangles, a bird tree, and one decorated with annual Orrefors ornaments from her sister-in-law. The outside was always decorated for the holidays with plants, lights, pumpkins, or bunnies. She was also a plant enthusiast, especially succulents. She loved gardening and feeding the birds in the backyard. She knew the local squirrels by sight.

Linda had boundless energy. She was stubborn and knew her mind. She could talk to anyone about anything, endlessly. She and her cousin Kathleen would watch a one-hour show and then discuss it, and everything else under the sun, on the phone for hours on end. Before the days of unlimited talk time on cell phones, John would call to her, “Linda! Enough!”

She was a fierce and loving Oma to her two grandsons whom she adored. She “hearted” every single shared photo and made sure to visit them in Houston every five weeks or so. She always brought crafts and spent hours with the boys, painting seashells, turning pinecones into ghosts, reading, and building stuff. She had a lot of patience for their stories and got interested in their interests.

John and Linda just celebrated their 36th anniversary and were together for 46 years.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents, Carrie and John, her brother John, her cousin Kathleen Hatfield, who was also her best friend, and her in-laws Brigs and John Maselli.

She is survived by her loving husband John, her son John III and his wife, Marissa, her two grandsons Briggs and Daniel, her brother Pat, and her sister-in-law Elisa.

Special thanks to the Barrington Countryside Paramedics and Good Shepherd Hospital for caring for Linda in her final hours. Special thanks also to Chaplain Karen Sersen, who was awakened to come to the hospital, and provided great comfort to John during his darkest hours.

The funeral will be at Davenport Family Funeral Home in Barrington, 149 W. Main St. (Lake Cook Road); visitation from 3pm until the funeral service at 5pm Saturday, April 15.

Donations may be made in Linda’s name to the charity of your choice.