Linda Kay Willson, 65
Linda Kay Willson, 65, took her place in Heaven on Oct. 17, 2017, at her home in Lakeside; finally free after many years of bravely battling kidney disease and diabetes.
She was born on May 3, 1952, in Fargo, North Dakota.
Her joyful laugh and loving kindness immediately come to mind when thinking of Linda. Always the first to crack a joke or make a silly face, she loved making people happy and laughing herself out of breath. A woman of strong Christian faith, she treated everyone the same — with compassion and kindness. She often looked people squarely in the eye and made “darned sure” they knew that they mattered, she appreciated them, and she cared. She knew struggle and she knew well the deep impact of kindness.
A tomboy as a young girl, Linda was full of spunk and mischief with her three brothers and sister in Boyd, Minnesota. After graduating high school from Granite Falls, Minnesota, in 1970 she married and spent the next 35 years raising her four children. She lived in Texas, Washington, D.C., Minnesota, and Iowa before settling in Montana in 1980.
She was intensely proud of her children for whom she devoted her entire life, always putting them ahead of her own needs and always the first person they would call to celebrate their successes. Her children loved her dearly. She delighted in her granddaughters who adored their Nana. She loved her siblings and was proud of their talents. She was blessed with many devoted friends whom she deeply loved.
She is survived by her children, Kristi (Stuart) Rowland and granddaughter Elizabeth of Maple Valley, Washington, Robert Brovold of Missoula, Michael (Samantha) Brovold and granddaughter Lynnelle of Lakeside, and Jessica (Noah) Lovewell of Groveland, California, from her marriage to Clayton Brovold; her siblings, Rick (Shirley) Willson of Chapin, South Carolina, and their children Ricky and Alaura; Ken (Kim) Willson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and his children Kelly, Daniel and Jamie and her children Darci and Haily; and Ron (Becky) Willson of Loveland, Colorado, and his children Ashley and Joe; her nephew, Nathan Willson (son of Kathy); her beloved caregiver, Emily Starr; and her devoted friends and sisters in Christ, Pat Binger, Barbara Bricker, Lorrie Craven, Linda Broeder Paulson and Dee Steckler.
Linda was preceded in death by her sisters, Kathleen Gayle (1954-2001) and Mary Jean (1956), her parents Darrel Duane Willson (1926-1999) and Della Mary (McDonald) Willson (1928-2001) and her dear friend Ruth Broeder (1924-2012).
A celebration of life will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 603 S. Main Street in Kalispell. A reception will follow. Her ashes will be interred at a later date at the family plot in Leal, North Dakota. For more information you may call 206-293-1698 or email sunnykristi@yahoo.com.
Memorials are suggested to your local food bank, shelter or charity of your choice.