Nancy Sue Linthicum (Ellerbee), 84, of Eureka, California, passed away peacefully on August 15, 2026, in Eureka.

Nancy was born in Stockton, California, on July 26, 1942, to Thomas Alfred Ellerbee and Marilyn June O’Neill. She was raised in Southern California and attended Anaheim High School and graduated in 1959. She went on to earn her certification in vocational nursing and devoted her life to caring for others.

Throughout her nursing career, Nancy served in a variety of positions, including working at the VA Hospital, in private-duty nursing, and in skilled nursing homes. One of her first positions was working in the burn unit at the VA Hospital, a testament to the courage and compassion she carried throughout her life. One of her final private-duty positions involved caring for a quadriplegic patient when she was 65 years old. Amazing! My mom was so strong.

Nancy was the eldest of five children, and her role as the ultimate caregiver began early in life. She was a master housekeeper—thorough, organized, and was a great help to her mom in caring for her siblings. A very dutiful daughter, always willing to help her family.

As a child, Nancy loved roller skating, swimming, and spending time with her siblings, aunts, and cousins.

She adored cats and owned many over the years, including Ming Toy Austin, Bathsheba, Princess, Brandy, Tigger, Tosha, Panda, and Inky. She possessed a sweet spirit filled with joy and laughter. She had the best laugh—and a wonderful sense of humor.

She spent her last 35 years in Humboldt County. She loved the climate and nature, especially Trinidad Beach.

To Honor My Mom

Affectionately known as Nurse Nancy, she spent her life caring for others. Some of my fondest memories are of the simple, beautiful things she did for our family.

Mom was an organized machine who kept a high-and-tight household. She loved coffee—first black and cranked up, eventually graduating to red-eyes in her later years, joining the hip coffee culture.

I remember the time she walked my older brother and me to the local gas station to blow up our swimming pool and then happily carried it all the way home. It was heavy!

She dressed me beautifully in dresses from the Red Balloon Boutique. She made sure a healthy snack was waiting for me after school. She supported Ramin and me in all our activities—to name a few: Boy Scouts, Brownies, Bluebirds, Little League, piano lessons, trumpet lessons, tap dancing, and gymnastics.

She taught me how to write a check and balance a budget.

Mom and me both had our tonsils removed at the same time and lived on sherbet and popsicles. We really enjoyed that. She had a fond love for ice cream and once went on an exclusive ice-cream-only diet and successfully lost 20 pounds.

She enjoyed tending to her rose garden and picking tangerines from our tree. She learned how to cook Persian food from my dad and embodied the culture. She especially loved The Persian New Year—Nowruz.

Mom managed a diner and ice-cream shop with my dad, and I was blessed to be the waitress. She also had a stint as a meter maid. Her favorite snack was homemade icing with graham crackers. She loved Mexican food—the spicier, the better.

She threw the best childhood birthday parties. For my 16th birthday, she bought me a beautiful hope chest to begin my collection for my future home.

Our travel adventures with Dad to Palm Springs, Catalina, San Francisco, and several trips up Highway 1 along the coast to Oregon were very memorable and will always be cherished.

Most of all, I am grateful that Mom taught me about Jesus, my Lord and Savior. I accepted Christ when I was eight years old. I loved going to church with Mom, singing worship songs, and learning about the Bible.

Mom will have jewels in her crown. The only things we can bring to Heaven are people and praises.

Thank you for helping your parents with your siblings.

Thank you for caring for countless patients.

Thank you for all your hard work, generous spirit, and tender love.

Thank you for making my childhood so special.

Thank you for introducing me to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

With deep love, Rhonda Mahram

A Mother’s Legacy

My mother, Nancy Sue Linthicum, was an amazing, dynamic woman full of grace and beauty—which was fitting, as Nancy means “grace of God.”

She loved Jesus with all her heart, and she loved people, especially her family and my dad, Howard Linthicum, to whom she was lovingly devoted to for 47 years.

She was a woman of duty and virtue, working hard from her earliest years as a wife, nurse, mother, daughter, and caretaker of others. Her infectious laugh and encouraging words of wisdom could lift you out of any sad mood. She carried an upbeat, full-of-life spirit wherever she went.

Mom had a gift for turning every home she lived in into a beautiful sanctuary. She was an incredible interior decorator with elegant taste and a wonderful sense of fashion. She loved watching movies, enjoyed nature, the outdoors, and hummingbirds. Most of all, she loved spending time with her loved ones.

She was gifted in poetry and in giving prophetic words, always finding ways to bring out the gold in people. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was a great cook. She was truly a classy lady—graceful, beautiful, funny, and full of life.

I am especially grateful that she raised me to know Jesus. For my 23rd birthday, she made me an art collage with Psalm 91 written across the top. That gift, like so many things she gave me, remains a treasure.

You were an exceptional mom. You taught and trained me well, and what you gave me will last a lifetime.

Thank you for the love and for a well-spent life that I can treasure forever.

I love you, Mom.

Rachel Christine Linthicum

A Heart for Justice

Justice was important to Mom. She was always rooting for the underdog.

When my younger brother Jonathan was left out after the neighborhood kids excluded him from playing on their slip-and-slide, that day Mom rode her bike to the store and purchased a new slip and slide, set up it up for him, making sure he had a lot of fun. That was Mom.

When Jonathan began his love for basketball at age seven, Mom made sure he had the opportunity to practice at the courts.

Growing up in Southern California, we were trained to have a flashlight and sleeping bag ready to go to the hallway in case of an earthquake. That was Mom.

Nancy leaves behind more than memories. She leaves a legacy of compassion, hard work, laughter, faith, courage, creativity, and unconditional love.

She spent her life caring for others, making homes beautiful, encouraging those around her, standing up for the underdog, and pointing her family toward Jesus.

Her love will continue. And her laughter will never be forgotten.

Nancy’s Family

Nancy is survived by her beloved husband, Howard Linthicum; her children, Ramin and Rhonda Mahram, Rachel and Jonathan (Mandie, spouse) Linthicum; her grandchildren, Alexander, Ezra, Samantha, and Charlotte; her sister, Christy Ellerbee Hollington; nephew Branton Ellerbee, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Paul Mammal Mahram; mother, Marilyn O’Neill; her father, Thomas Ellerbee; her sister, Julie White; her brother, Tommy Ellerbee; and her sister, Candace Ellerbee.

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The obituary above was submitted on behalf of Nancy Linthicum’s loved ones. The Lost Coast Outpost runs obituaries of Humboldt County residents at no charge. See guidelines here. Email news@lostcoastoutpost.com.