Linda A. Albano, age 84, formerly of Alsip, IL, passed into the loving arms of her Savior, on Thursday, May 28, 2026, following a brief illness. Surrounded by the love and prayers of her family, Linda waited until the last family member arrived before receiving her eternal reward, a reunion with her beloved husband Tom.

She was born on September 7, 1941, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to proud parents, Elmer and Ann Schaible. Linda spent her early years in New Jersey attending local schools while her father worked for Sweetheart Soap, before the family moved to Chicago.

Linda found the love of her life on her first day at Lindblom High School when she met Tom Albano in Spanish class. After receiving her diploma, she found parting sweet sorrow when her family was transferred to Omaha, NE, for her father’s work. Tom stayed in Chicago to finish studying at the Art Institute. The love she had for Tom and the saying “distance makes the heartgrow fonder” proved too true, as did “Hell hath no fury…” as she shared her intractable opinion with her parents on the separation. Linda and Tom’s bond never withered and after a few visits, Tom got down on one knee in Memorial Park in Omaha, making Linda the happiest woman on earth.

Tom and Linda walked down the aisle as newlyweds on November 25, 1961, at St. Mary of the Sea in Chicago. They began their new life together in Chicago for a time before settling in Alsip in December 1967. They were blessed with three children, Phillip, Susan, and Michael, as well as nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren (with another on the way), not to mention over 50 years of memories.

Outside of her early work as a legal secretary at Mayer, Frielinck, Speiss, Brown & Platt and later, welcoming folks at a local Hallmark store and serving at a regional Kiwanis office, Linda put her heart and soul into raising her family and caring for their every need.  For Linda, her children meant “the world” but she was eternally devoted to both her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, traveling from Tinley Park to Lockport to Elburn, sometimes all in one day, so she could be seen (and sometimes heard) while cheering for them in sporting events, concerts and the like. Her commitment to family and friends was as boundless as it was selfless. Friendships made were friendships kept, never wavering and always growing stronger. She made a life-long friend with Judy Lytle while at the law firm, a sisterhood that lasted over 60 years and which forever bonded the Albano and Lytle families. Laughter was never in short supply when working with the “Huns” (Linda, Barb Moreno, and Fran Lewis) at Hallmark, a group that not only survived but thrived following the store closing. Linda’s work at Hallmark also inspired an obsession with Hallmark movies and ornaments that bordered on unhealthy. She loved to travel to Galena each autumn to make new memories with her close friends, the Lytles, the Thornburgs, and the Wiltfongs. Craft fairs brought inspiration and dedication to her quilting and sewing, not to mention the ever famous “Grammy Blankets” that provided not only warmth but love in every inch.

Linda’s mind was always looking for challenges as she tackled numerous cross stitch patterns, sewing and quilting projects, jigsaw puzzles, and Jenga with the grandkids. Coloring Easter eggs was a yearly event, but she really loved watching her family open the multitude of gifts that she had purchased with her Christmas Club money. When she stepped into the kitchen, mouthwatering aromas were always in store as the scents of scones, sour cream cookies, perfectly baked oatmeal raisin cookies, and warm pancakes after a sleepover brought the family running. She was an enthusiastic sports fan spending many afternoons watching the Chicago Bears, Cubs, and Sox, college basketball and baseball, as well as anything with Peyton Manning. To Tom’s chagrin, she could watch golfers such as Brooks Koepka and Rory McElroy for hours. In her later years, Linda loved to be taken out for a grilled cheese or BLT sandwich, as well as enjoying her secret stash of Lorna Doone cookies and gummy snacks. She loved to be up to her elbows in flowers every Mother’s Day, planting with her son to her heart’s content.

Linda’s smile was bright, her laughter infectious, her sarcasm often surprising. Her legacy will be one that will be treasured for generations.

Linda leaves her 3 loving children: Phillip (Sheila) Albano and their children Nicholas and Katherine; Susan (Chad) Aggen and their children, Tyler, Madison (Nick) Barbaro, and Dylan; Michael (Lisa) Albano and their children, Justin (Leah) and Alexsondra Albano, Rachel and Lauren Hahn; 4 great grandchildren: Easton and Camden Barbaro, Isla and Addison Albano plus another Albano on the way in July; and her sister-in-law, Ann Patellaro. In addition, she leaves a number of nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and a family of friends who remember her with love.

She is now reunited with her parents, Elmer and Ann Schaible; her loving husband, Tom; one sister, Janice Babic; one sister-in-law, Theresa Morano; and three brothers-in-law: Mickey Morano, Fred Babic and Andy Patellaro; and one very special dog, Piper, who preceded her in death.

Visitation will be on Monday, June 1, 2026, from 4:30-8:00 p.m. with a celebration of life at 6:30 p.m. at McCauley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 530 W. Boughton Rd., Bolingbrook, IL, 60440.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her name to the Alzheimer’s Association at donorservices.Alzheimer's Association .