Linda M Moran

Linda Martha Moran (nee Gottula) died at age 79 surrounded by loved ones on March 12, 2026. She is predeceased by her loving husband John Karl Moran, brother, Steven Gottula, and parents Virginia Gottula (nee Ribble) and Reuben Gottula. She is survived by her daughter, Virginia Moran and her husband David Collins, grandchildren David and Jacob Heinrich, and step-grands DeShawn and Grace Estes Collins.

Linda was a great friend to her Elk Creek High School class of 1964 classmates and looked forward to the all-school reunions where she could reconnect with everyone.

Linda attended college at Peru State and the University of Nebraska, majoring in Biology and minoring in History. However, before she completed her studies, she met and married John Moran in 1967 and started her family. They moved to Hawaii with their daughter in 1969, then returned to Omaha, Nebraska in 1972 when John left the U. S. Air Force. The family then moved to Columbus, Nebraska where Linda began working part time for Sears and Roebuck, in their credit department.

After working at Sears for a few years, Linda changed jobs to work for Columbus Public Schools as a media center aide at the junior high, then transitioned to work for Hy-Vee. When Linda and John moved to Lincoln after Ginny went away to college in Minnesota, Linda continued working for Hy-Vee for several more years. The two of them bought their home near 40th and Old Cheney Road in Lincoln where they became neighborhood fixtures. Linda retired from Hy-Vee when John was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in order for her to spend more time with her beloved.

Linda and John enjoyed having season tickets to the Lincoln Stars USHL junior hockey team, and made many friends at the games. When their grandchildren came along, Linda and John attended as many sporting events as they could despite living several hours away. Hockey and baseball magnets and pins with photos of the grandkids adorned Linda's refrigerator, declaring her support. Linda was always happy to talk about her grandchildren and step-grandchildren, and loved the chance to connect with them on the phone or over social media.

Throughout her life, Linda was a tremendous lover of animals, and was nearly always caring for one or more horses, dogs, or cats, not to mention her “outdoor pets” of birds and squirrels. Her final cat companion Valentine, or Val, adopted her as Linda would tell the story.

A celebration of Linda's life is being planned for a later date this summer.

Please consider a donation in lieu of flowers or other expressions of memory to the following organizations, which Linda regularly supported: Food Bank of Lincoln; Capital Humane Society, Lincoln, Nebraska Best Friends Animal Society