Linda M. Rountree

Linda Margaret (White) Roeder Rountree

I would like to share a story of a beautiful little girl who grew up riding a pony, became a pageant queen and a majorette at the University of Arkansas. She gave birth to three ornery boys, but for the most part she kept them in check. She then entered eternity to be with her Savior Jesus Christ.

Linda Margaret (White) Roeder Rountree, 85, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, passed away peacefully while resting on her couch on Feb. 27, 2026. She was born to Karl and Jessie Roeder in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 24, 1940.

Linda loved gardening in her yard and was constantly working on her flowers. She also played the flute for a time in a local ensemble and played bridge with some special friends. We would always kid her by asking if she won the most nickels for the day at the card game. Those ladies were very dear to her.

As a young girl, her family moved to Piggott, Arkansas, where her father opened a Ben Franklin five and dime store. At this time her parents bought her a Shetland pony named Shorty and she looked forward to every day that she could ride him.

In 1961, beauty pageant time arrived and she was crowned Miss Piggott and participated that year in the Miss Arkansas pageant. She had turned from a pony riding tomgirl to a pageant queen.

She attended and graduated the University of Arkansas and graduated with a B.S. in Education. While at the university, she was a majorette for the Razorbacks.

She was also a "movie" star. The movie "A Face in the Crowd" starring Andy Griffith before his TV show was filmed partially in Piggott. As the story went, a group of majorettes tried out on the Piggott football field for Andy's character Lonesome Rhodes and yes, Miss Linda was a participant and appeared in the movie. We boys even have her autograph!

Linda was preceded in death by her father, Karl Roeder; mother, Jessie Pinkley; stepfather, Faherty Pinkley; husband, James Rountree; brother, Don Roeder; sister-in-Law, Janet Roeder; and grandson, David Michael White. Survivors include her three sons, Barry White (Melissa) of Hot Springs, Charlie White Jr. (Suzanne) of Colorado Springs, David White (Ashley) of Hot Springs; and stepdaughter, Karin Benningfield (Cecil); brothers, Mike Roeder (Sharon) and Alan Roeder (Jane). She is also survived by nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren who she loved dearly. Linda is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

A private burial for family members took place in Piggott, Arkansas, at 1 p.m. Friday, March 6, under the direction of Caruth-Hale Funeral Home. She was laid to rest next to mother and father. It will be a closed casket service, but she will be laid to rest with her husband Jim's ashes and her dog Charmer's collar and dog tags. She will also be wearing the dress she wore when she married Jim on June 22, 1985.

An informal celebration of life for her friends in Hot Springs will be held at Caruth-Hale from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday March 12. Her friends may come at anytime during the celebration as pictures and a slideshow will be available, as well as a painting of her as a little girl.

The family wishes to thank her two cleaning ladies and her neighbors that would call if they hadn't seen her in a few days. They were our eyes and ears and truly a blessing.

Linda now rests in eternity.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to While We're Waiting, P.O. Box 22823, Hot Springs, AR 71903. It is a Christian-based grief organization that serves parents who have lost a child. No one that attends ever has to pay a dime supported by these donations.

Online condolences athttp://www.caruth-hale.com.