Obituary

Linda Hope Merrick, of Richmond, Virginia, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 16, 2026, in Hanover, Virginia.

Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Linda was the beloved daughter of the late Robert and Dorothy Merrick. She grew up in Louisville, where she developed a lifelong commitment to service, learning, and advocacy that would define her remarkable career. She went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Oral Roberts University and later completed her graduate degree at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Linda dedicated her professional life to helping others through the field of social work. Over the course of her career, she served as a family counselor, camp director for troubled teens, and a respected graduate school professor at the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work. She retired as a lead grant writer for numerous human support programs across the Commonwealth of Virginia, concluding her career with the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services. Her work helped secure critical funding, strengthened programs, and improved countless lives throughout Virginia and beyond.

Through her work, Linda traveled extensively across the country. Her career also took her to many parts of Europe, and she led multiple professional delegations to Israel, where she worked closely with international colleagues to collaborate on grant funding strategies and program leadership.

Outside of her professional life, Linda found joy in many pursuits. She was an avid reader with a particular fondness for spy thrillers, and she rarely missed reading the newspaper, often clipping articles she thought family and friends would enjoy. She single-handedly renovated the home she’d lived in since 1972, and took great pride in her backyard garden, which grew into an impressive collection of plants and flowers. One of her greatest pleasures was walking through the garden with her granddaughter, Zoe, patiently pointing out each plant and sharing its name.

Linda loved traveling, learning about new places and cultures, and, most of all, spending time with her son and granddaughter, who were the center of her world.

Linda is survived by her son, Blanton Paul Seward; her granddaughter, Zoe Catherine Seward; and her brother, Robert E. Merrick. She will be remembered for her intelligence, compassion, dedication to public service, and the quiet but profound impact she made on her family, her students, her colleagues, and the many communities she served.

In honor of Linda’s lifelong dedication to helping children, families, and vulnerable communities, the family invites those who wish to honor her memory to make a donation in her name to Voices for Virginia’s Children, and will support programs that reflect Linda’s deep commitment to advocacy, compassion, and meaningful support for children and families across the Commonwealth of Virginia.