Linda L. Becker, 68, of Sumner, died Thursday, July 13, 2017, at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, following a sudden and unexpected illness.
Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 19, 2017, at St. John Lutheran Church in Sumner with Rev. Cheryl Szabo officiating. Burial will follow at Union Mound Cemetery in Sumner. Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 18th at Becker-Milnes Funeral Home in Sumner and for one hour preceding services at the church on Wednesday. Memorials may be given to the family for designation at a later date.
Linda Lou, daughter of Alvin and Alice Mae Rude Gald, was born February 26, 1949, at Vernon Memorial Hospital in Viroqua, Wisconsin. She was baptized and confirmed at Westby-Coon Prairie Lutheran Church in Westby, Wisconsin. She attended rural country school and graduated as the class valedictorian from Westby High School in 1967. She then graduated from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse in 1971, and began teaching elementary school at Galesville, Wisconsin. She then taught for several years in the Marion, Iowa School District. On June 18, 1977, she was united in marriage with Bob Becker at her home church in Westby. In 1980, she, her husband and their daughter, Leigh Ann moved to Sumner. Two more children, Erin Marie and Robert Jay would join the family, and Linda would live out her life’s dream of rearing her children and watching them grow to adulthood. As the grandchildren started to arrive, Madi, Ben, Owen, and Jack, her joy only increased as she spent time with them. In the last several years, she returned to the classroom and substitute taught in several area school districts, and she also assisted her husband over the years in his work. She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Sumner, where she of course, taught Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School. She also enjoyed being a member of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, and the more than thirty-five years she played bridge with essentially the same women. Of all her many pleasures, all pale in comparison to the time she spent with her family.
In addition to her husband, Bob of Sumner, she is survived by her children, Leigh Ann (Brady) Wachter of West Des Moines, Erin (Ryan) Sawyer of Waukee, and Jay (Beth) Becker of Sumner; her grandchildren, Madilyn Duhrkopf, Ben and Owen Wachter, and Jack Becker; her mother, Alice Nelson of Viroqua, Wisconsin; three siblings, Mary Ann McDonald of Ontario, Wisconsin, Robin (Brian) Kenyon of Reedsburg, Wisconsin, and Kent Nelson of Westby, Wisconsin; one step-brother, Richard (Kaylene) Nelson of Westby, Wisconsin; one step-sister, Karen Schlickt of Viroqua, Wisconsin several nieces and nephews; aunt Lucille Weidner of Westby, Wisconsin; and her dear friend, Louise Kutz of Columbus, Ohio.
She was preceded in death by her father, Alvin Gald; step-father, Kenneth Nelson; special uncle, Art Rude, who made his home on the family farm where Linda grew up; and two step-brothers, Steve Nelson and Pat Parker.
