"Everybody Loves Linda!"Our beautiful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, sister and friend passed away in her home on August 16, 2012. For the past year, Linda gracefully fought a courageous battle against a rare, neurodegenerative disorder called Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
Linda was born on August 15, 1946, to Raymond and Marge Peterson in Payson, Utah. She is the oldest of five children. She grew up in Midvale, Utah and graduated from Hillcrest High School in 1964.
Linda married Lloyd D. Kitchen on August 31, 1970. Their marriage was solemnized in the Draper Utah Temple on January 25, 2012. Forty years ago they built their home in Sandy, Utah where they raised their five children. Linda's hobbies include reading, cooking, working on puzzles and window shopping. She loved to travel in the motorhome for family camping, boating and fishing trips. Above all, she enjoyed spending time with her family whether it was a family BBQ or a ball game. She adored her family, especially her grandchildren, and they always came first.
Linda worked at Waterford School for the past 22 years and loved it! It didn't matter if you were a student, parent, faculty or staff she graciously solved problems with a smile. Over the years she made an impact on all the lives of those she touched. She was adored by the students and faculty at Waterford and will forever be missed.
Linda is survived by her parents, husband, children Kelli (Brad) Brown, Cedar City, UT; Daren Kitchen, Sandy, UT; Brandon (Danielle) Kitchen, Riverton, UT; Jami (Eric) Hokanson, South Jordan, UT; 14 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, siblings, Gloria (Larry) Bryan, Nephi, UT; Jackie (Randy) Rodgers, Holladay, UT; Duane (Sharon) Peterson, Bluffdale, UT. She is preceded in death by her son Dustin Kitchen and her brother Ralph Peterson.
Funeral services will be held at noon on Tuesday, August 21, 2012, at the Hillcrest 4th Ward (8735 S Harvard Park Dr). Friends and family may call from 6-8 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012, at Wasatch Lawn Mortuary (3401 S Highland Dr) and at the church from 10-11:30 am on Tuesday. Interment, Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.
The family would like to thank all those who have had Linda in their thoughts and prayers over the past year. We have truly felt your love and support.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in person or by mail to the Linda Kitchen Scholarship Fund at Waterford School (1480 E 9400 S, Sandy, Utah 84093).
So my sweet aunt passed away, after a year long battle with CJD. While it's sad to see her go, it's nice to know that she's no longer dealing with the affects of that stupid disease. The funeral was nice, the speakers did fantastic, and my cousin had an amazing musical number. It made me wonder how the heck we're related, she's so talented, and then there's me. Haha! Like I said though, the funeral was nice. They did an awesome memorial for her at Waterford, the school she worked at, and they set up a scholarship in her name. I thought that was sweet, and a really nice way to honor someone. She'll definitely be missed, but she had people in heaven waiting for her to come, so I know she's happy.
One thing about my faith, I know there is a heaven. I know that there is life after death, and that it is beautiful, and so much more than we could ever imagine. I know that Heavenly Father welcomed her with open arms, along with Ralph and Dustin. Like my dad said, Linda probably didn't get a word in between the two of them greeting her themselves. I've never once doubted that there was more to this life than just living your life and then dying. While I'm in no rush to find out what comes next, I am comforted in knowing that there is somewhere that I'm going. There are people that are waiting there for me.
Okay. I need to move on before I start sobbing at work.
Tomorrow I'll be 25 weeks! It's going by so fast. I'm feeling more prepared every day. We've bought a crib, bedding, a swing, and even some toys. I know I should be waiting until after my showers to do that, but I've been waiting 25 weeks! I'm impatient!
This week we're moving back in to my sister's house. We've moved almost everything, just need to get the big things in storage. I'm going to continue working (SIGH) until November, but the amount of money we'll be saving will definitely be worth it. Plus, it's hopefully the last time I'll be working, so I can stick it out a little longer. Earlier this year, I wrote about how 2012 will be bringing a lot of change, and it definitely hasn't disappointed me! I'm welcoming the change with open arms.
I can hardly wait to see what 2013 brings.
