On November 19, 2025, Linda Dianne Jeannette (Hoch) passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by her closest family. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Joe; her sister, Patty (and Tom Cartier); her three sons, Jeremy (and Karen), TJ (and Kelley), and Griffin (and Stacy); her six grandchildren, Jacob, Broden, Niklas, Olive, Stanley, and Coby; and countless friends around the world.
Linda was born on January 26, 1948, to Dorothy and Warren Hoch. Three years later, she was joined by her sister, Patty Cartier (Hoch). Linda often described her early life in the Piedmont area of Duluth as idyllic. She shared stories of her youth with a whimsical smile, as though recalling a perfect tale from a cherished book. She and her sister would watch their mother prepare for a ball, seeing her as a princess or queen.
She laughed at her father’s jokes — told many times over the years — jokes that the family still repeats today. She spoke fondly of her cousins, summers at the lake, and her larger-than-life grandfather with his giant cars and giant cigars. Linda’s childhood stories were always accompanied by gratitude and joy for the life she was given.
In 1971, at the age of 23, Linda met Joe Jeannette at a gathering in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They quickly fell in love and married soon after. They lived briefly in Minneapolis, where their first two children, Jeremy and TJ, were born. The family later returned to Duluth, where their youngest son, Griffin, completed the family.
Settling in the Woodland area, Linda worked to recreate the ideal childhood she had experienced for her own children. Family was her priority, and every event included her sister’s family and her parents. School activities, sporting events, parties, and vacations were filled with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. While not identical to her own storybook youth, Linda created a new chapter for her children—one remembered with deep fondness.
In 2002, Linda began what she considered her masterpiece: being a grandmother. She cherished her six grandchildren, who adored her in return. For them, she recreated the same unconditional love she had given her children, but with fewer boundaries. Weekends at Grandma’s house meant sleepovers, laughter, and an endless supply of “yes, anything for you.”
At night, the younger grandchildren would pile into her bed, giggling themselves to sleep. As they grew older, Linda and Joe rarely missed an event—whether school, sports, birthdays, or celebrations. If they couldn’t attend, they always asked about it. To the very end, the grandchildren’s love for Linda only grew stronger.
Linda will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and all whose lives she touched. She set an enduring example of how to love and build a family—a legacy that will be difficult to replicate but lovingly carried forward by those closest to her.
A Memorial Service for Linda will be held at 3 pm on Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at First United Methodist Church, 230 E Skyline Pkwy, Duluth, MN with a Visitation beginning at 2 pm.
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