Linda Rose Lake

Linda Rose Lake loved her family. She grew up in Saint Louis, MO with her brother Robert, sister Susan (Schroering), parents Bertha and Andrew Goetz, and her grandmother, Barbara. Lynn married her high school sweetheart, David Lake, on June 15th, 1968 at Saint John the Baptist in Saint Louis. And so began a long partnership and adventure together.

Lynn made a home for her family wherever they lived (St. Louis, MO; Omaha, NE; Mt. Laurel, NJ; Westerville, OH; Westminster, CO). Lynn raised three daughters with her husband Dave, Patricia (Patty) McDermott, Jessica (Jesse) McRae, and Amanda (Mandy) Paulsen. Over the years they welcomed sons-in-law Christopher, Jeremy, and Jason into the family.

She had the brightest smile, along with a quick wit and sense of humor. She was the kind of mother that little girls want to grow up to be – attentive, creative, supportive, inspiring, and a great listener. She loved spending time with her family and friends and was always happy when her house was full of people – especially her grandchildren. She delighted in Andrew, Ryan, Connor, Kaitlyn, Simon, and Kai and developed strong bonds with each of them. You only have to look at pictures to see the joy that they brought to each other. Lynn and Dave were kept busy cheering on the grandchildren at soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, and basketball games.

She had a gift for welcoming people, making them feel comfortable and loved. She threw many memorable parties for her friends. She was particularly close with her daughters. They each counted her as one of their closest friends. They shared endless hours talking, laughing, and crying together.

Her husband, Dave, retired twelve years ago and she happily joined him in retirement. They traveled the world together. They were sometimes joined by family and friends but they were always together, enjoying each other and the journey. Lynn was fond of playing cards and her team may hold the record for winning the most games of Hand and Foot in South America. She loved documenting her travels and family time in scrapbooks. On one of their long cruises, she discovered a true talent for watercolors and created some beautiful paintings that will be treasured.

She was preceded in death by two baby daughters. She died August 9th, 2013, two days after her 66th birthday. She was doing one of the things she loved best – traveling and spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in Linda's name.