On March 16, friends and family turned out to say goodbye to a great woman. Linda Spring passed away on March 11, but left behind a legacy and packed an amazing amount of work, play, mentoring and sharing into her 66 years. She left her mark on the community that will likely last for generations.
Daughter, sister, wife, mother, partner, grandmother, aunt and friend to countless people, Linda was an irascible force in the world. As owner and operator of the Filling Station for 30 years, she served up great food and lasting friendships.
“Generous to a fault” as her daughter Marcy Strand said, “she was always ready to help – sometimes executing a plan by the seat of her pants.”
Whether it was taking a break from cooking to help elderly customers enter the restaurant or providing ice cream or money for candy to children who visited, she always put others first.
Hosting all sorts of fundraisers and special meals for funerals and celebrations, her generosity made certain no one who came through her door went hungry – even if they had little money to pay.
“I’m here to make friends” she would say with a smile, “Not to make money.” And friends she had! The line of people at her visitation on the eve of her funeral wrapped around to the front of Rux Funeral Home. It was standing room only on the day of her funeral.
The comment section of her obituary included tributes such as “Certain people come into your life and they leave a strong and lasting impression- that is Linda to many! She will be truly missed” and “Linda had a huge heart and was the soul of kindness, particularly to elderly on fixed incomes.”
Earlier this year The Kewanee Voice did a story on Linda’s involvement with the Honor Flight which provides a day trip for veterans to visit the monuments in Washington D.C.
For nearly 14 years, Linda organized a fundraiser in Bishop Hill and raised an estimated $100,000 for the Flight. Their web page paid homage to her efforts with, “Her support, encouragement and hours of work helped our Honor Flight touch the lives of so many Veterans. To many of us she became a dear friend and a source of inspiration.”
At the entrance of the funeral home, the sandbox that she had made was on display, along with the sign that hung on her restaurant wall for years. The words were those she lived by and promoted “Rules of Life & The Sandbox: Be Nice, Play Fair, And Share.”
The minister reminded the crowd that the occasion might be a time of mourning, but moreover, it was a day of memories. He spoke of her generous, down-to-earth and sometimes irreverent manner and how her kindness and spirit of giving will live on in others. Removing his jacket to reveal a flannel shirt he explained “Linda would have a fit if I did her funeral in a suit.”
Revealing that their mother was, among many things, an avid writer, the family had compiled a book of her poetry as a surprise, and daughter Marcy shared one of the entries that seemed to sum up her life:
There are people who seem
To touch our lives
In the most
Unforgettable ways
People who know
Just what to do
To brighten
The darkest of days
People who listen
When you need to talk
Who will sit patiently, quietly
When the tears start to fall
People who will help you
Advise you, guide you
And never expect
Any return at all
People who will teach you
The joys of giving
About life and love
And the fine art of living
People who will give you
The confidence you need
To do what you feel
To be what you want to be
You’re one of these people
One very special lady
Who so willingly gives
To all those in need
And this is my way
Of saying “I thank you”
For all of the things
You have given me.
Memories indeed. They will keep her in our hearts and minds. Always.
