Linda Schultz: 1953-2021

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Cheerful and smiling, thoughtful, compassionate, fun a friend forever. - Jeanne Eloranta 

On July 29, 2021, Linda Lee Schultz, 68, a dear sister, auntie, and friend, lost a short, but courageous battle with cancer. 

Linda was born on May 19, 1953 to John and Ruth (Tornow) Schultz. Linda spent her first few years in the Boistfort Valley with her parents, brother Thomas, and sister Susan before moving to Chehalis. Linda graduated from W.F. West High School in 1971. In high school, Linda joined the Future Farmers of America (FFA), where she was the first girl to wear jeans. She was also very active in 4-H and it made such an impact on her, that she chose to pursue a career in this field. 

Linda attended Washington State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education in 1975 and received her master’s degree in vocational education from Oregon State University in 1979. While in college, Linda participated in an international youth exchange in New Zealand, where she lived with several different families, some of which she stayed in contact with and was able to visit throughout the years. After New Zealand, Linda participated in the Young Agricultural Specialist Exchange Program (YASEP) in the U.S.S.R., which was funded by the International Harvester Corporation. 

Linda worked as a 4-H extension agent in Washington, including in Kitsap, Grays Harbor, and Lewis counties. Linda eventually settled in Las Cruces, New Mexico where she worked as a professor of youth development at New Mexico State University. 

Traveling and learning about different cultures were other passions of Linda’s and when she retired in 2016, she made it her focus to take many trips with friends and loved ones. She sailed through the Greek islands, slept in a castle in France, toured tombs and rode a camel in Egypt, swam like a mermaid in the Sea of Galilee, and enjoyed seeing the beauty in the world, from Alaska to Amsterdam and Austria to the Italian Riviera. Linda visited her niece in Australia and cousins in Sweden, as well as many national parks and monuments. Kauai held a special place in Linda’s heart, and we can still picture her laughing and radiating positivity while sipping a martini on the lanai of her condo in Poipu. 

Linda was preceded in death by her parents, John and Ruth (Tornow) Schultz, and her brother Thomas Schultz. She is survived by her sister Susan (Larry) Donaldson, niece Kirsten (Tim) Marwick, nephew Brandon (Shanna) Schultz, niece Sara (Leroy) Groeneweg, nephew Kyle (Karmen) Donaldson, as well as numerous cousins, great nieces, great nephews, and many close friends. Linda loved her family and friends dearly and she always made time to visit as many family members as she could each year, where she would insist on making Swedish pancakes and baking chocolate chip cookies. 

Although Linda loved flowers, she would appreciate contributions be made in her honor to groups or charities that support youth education or your local Soroptimist organization. 

A celebration of life will be held at St. Johns Lutheran Church, 2190 Jackson Hwy., Chehalis, Wash., on Sunday Aug. 22, 2021 at 1 p.m.