Linda G.
Where did you grow up?
A: I grew up on more than a 100-acre farm. My parents raised 5 boys and 3 girls with 3 siblings still living.
Growing up I loved to hunt and take care of our farm animals with my dad. He welcomed any animal on our farm, except snakes, for us to tame. I would drive the tractor and help pick corn or anything else my dad needed me to do. I also enjoyed watching my mother quilt and make clothes for the family. I would gather all of my mom’s scrap material and make doll clothes. I sold those to one of my friends. As I got older I was able to make my own clothes without a pattern. I had an eye for size. I could look at the material and know when it was the right size. On Saturdays, I would babysit my nieces and nephews. They enjoyed spending the night with Aunt Linda.
What was your life like?
I married the love of my life right out of high school. We were married for 41 years until he died unexpectedly from an aneurysm. We had 1 son and we all enjoyed traveling as a family. We would travel from Wyoming to Montana and then to Florida.
My favorite place to tour was the Yellow Stone National Park. I always loved meeting new people and learning about their life.
During our marriage, my husband and I were entrepreneurs in multiple different businesses. I was able to sit down and talk to many different people and provide services to them. I also worked at the Bank of Bolivar holding several different titles while there. I worked around the yard at our house in the flower beds planting different varieties of flowers. It amazed me to watch all of the flowers grow. Our family has grown over the past several years. I now have 1 son, 2 grandsons and 1 great-granddaughter.
Is there a specific experience that you’d like to share with us?
There is one experience that really comes to mind that I would like to share. In 2006 I was scheduled to have open heart surgery. During the surgery, I was on the operating table and at that moment I died. My heart stopped beating. The doctors and nurses told me that they had to work on my then weak heart for a very long time before it finally starting pumping again.
It is only by the Grace of God that I am here to be able to give you a brief history of my life right now.
I remember when my heart stopped beating that I went to see Jesus. I went through the tunnel of light. Jesus talked to me and told me that it was not my time and that I had to go back that I still had work to do on Earth. I read a lot of books but the Bible is my Life and it keeps me going. I recommend that when you feel down, pick up your Bible and read it. You will feel better. I was brought up not to steal, lie or beg but to work hard and read your Bible and you will have all you need in life.
