Linda Kay Landis

Linda Kay (Ross) Landis was born in West Virginia on February 18, 1944 to Raymond Harold Ross & Carrie Katherine (Law) Ross. She never met her older sister Martha Jean, who died before Linda was born. Linda was a West Virginian through & through. She lived in numerous houses (& cities) in the greater Clarksburg, WV area until she graduated Roosevelt Wilson High School. She proudly attended West Virginia University (WVU) & was one of the first female Chemistry students. While at WVU she met Sarah Lou Fogg, her college roommate who became a lifelong friend & confidant.

After undergraduate, Linda attended graduate school at the Ohio University where she met her husband Art while waiting to do things in the chemistry department. As Linda & Sara Lou had remained close when Linda & Art married, Sarah Lou’s father, a minister, married them. After receiving their Master's Degrees from Ohio, Linda & Art continued their education at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., which also provided numerous of the stories told throughout the rest of their lives.

After Georgetown, they moved to Carlisle, PA where her daughter Margaret was born. But they did not stay in place long and were in an apartment in Park Ridge, IL when her son Ben was born a few years later before moving to a house in Carpentersville, IL a few months later in late spring/early summer. It was at the Carpentersville, IL house where Linda started using her science background to do fun & outside the box science experiences & experiments with kids (her own as well as others in the neighborhood) mainly in the yard but also with Campfire groups & the local elementary school. A few years after Ben was born the family moved to the greater Springfield, MA area so Linda could teach science at a Catholic high school while her husband taught college chemistry. Eventually the family moved to Emporia, KS where Art became chair of the chemistry department & Linda worked in the Science & Math Education Center (SMEC). She later became director of SMEC before retiring. While in Emporia, Linda met Malone Davies (another sister of her heart) and the Crazy Ladies of Chemistry was born. Their chemistry & science stage shows took off, including experiments with a 6-foot test tube (an often referenced experience). Through the Crazy Ladies of Chemistry & outreach through the SMEC Linda encouraged girls to get involved & stay involved with science.

When Linda & Art retired, they moved to Norman, OK to be near family and they were both got involved in bible studies at McFarlin UMC, the Parkinson's Exercise class @ First Baptist (which Linda briefly led), & numerous other activities.

Throughout her life Linda was always cooking, baking & helping others. She continued to do so up until the last year when her health required her letting others help her as they had been helped by her in the past.

After a fairly sudden but valiant and fierce battle with illness Linda left this Earth on August 10, 2026.

Linda was preceded in death by her parents, sister, numerous aunts & uncles as well as numerous cats who we are sure she's cuddling with up in heaven. She is survived by her husband Arthur M Landis (Norman, OK), daughter Margaret L Landis Barbour (& husband John of Norman, OK), son Ben A Landis (& wife Lila of Fort Worth, TX), grandchildren Finn Landis, Evie Landis and Natalie Landis and her beloved cats Sisti, Merlin, Sherlock, Patches & Tommy. She also leaves behind numerous "found family" in the close friends that she called family while alive (she said you would know who you are).

Linda leaves behind a legacy as a lifetime educator both in & out of the classroom in all the lives she touched & continues to touch as people recall and share those lessons with others. As she said, love and education live on.

You are welcome to join the family in celebrating her life by wearing cheerful colors (@ Linda's request) and due to the heat, anyone may wear shorts and no jackets are required. Linda always said she wanted people to be comfortable & Beach Boys music played as we celebrate & remember her.

A service will be held at Primrose Funeral Service, (3901 N Flood Ave., Norman, OK 73069) on August 21, 2026 at 1 PM.

Linda Kay (Ross) Landis will be laid to rest at Norman I.O.O.F. Cemetery (1913 N. Porter Ave. Norman, OK).