Linda Marie Deneka

At 69, Linda Marie Bonner/Deneka made a bigger impact on the lives of the people around her than most people could manage if they dropped a nuke. At 69, Linda placed third place out of her seventeen siblings in the race to the other side. And at 69, Linda passed away, leaving all of our hearts forever stained with coffee and smelling like smoke.

Two words describe Linda perfectly. This first is "character," because every day with Linda felt like a goddamn movie. It didn't matter if you knew her 10 years or 10 seconds, her personality was bold and on display for all to admire - her spunk, her sass, her sarcasm, and her sexual innuendos. Lots of those. She did what she wanted, and never let others talk her down (even if they may have been right sometimes). She could light up a room with nothing more than the embers of her cigarette, an inappropriate flash of her tits, and the smile on her face, and she always had a story to share that would probably leave her cackling louder than you. She was generous, even if she didn't like to act like it, and if you liked something she made damn sure it was yours because seeing you smile meant more to her than having it herself ever did. If you got on her bad side and felt her wrath, you may have thought she was a Grinch - which her daughters can tell you, wasn't too far off when she was younger - but the truth is that Linda's heart really did grow three sizes for each person that loved her, and she loved them right back with all she could. By the time she passed, she had a lot more children than her two biological daughters - she also had hundreds of self-adopted kids in every niece, nephew, grandkid, and family friend that considered her a second mom. She made each of us feel like the favorite - and we could all believe it.

The second word is "iconic." Right up 'till the day she passed, Linda rocked tube tops and booty shorts as a staple, even in the dead of winter. She kept her hair a bright blonde and her nails absurdly long. She was a certified enthusiast of Trans Ams and Firebirds. She smoked Edgefield 100's, drank coffee from a Bunn, and spent her days lounging in a chair by the pool watching Asian soap operas. She adored Shirley Temple movies, and would strap you in like A Clockwork Orange for a marathon if you hadn't seen them. She would whoop your ass in leg-wrestling, Tetris, and probably in the streets if you cut her off in traffic.

She left behind a myriad of family members and friends who will feel her loss every day. She is survived by many; her daughters, Honey and Crystal, as well as her son-in-laws, Jason and John; her siblings, Carol and Charles, as well as a plethora of nieces and nephews; her grandkids, Kyler, Devan, Morgan, Mackenzie, and Kendal, as well as Devan's wife Alyssa and Morgan's partner Dakota; and her great-grandkids, Matteo, Bentley, Scarlett, Ellie, Maven, Mila, and Arlee. As for who she's meeting, we are just as sure as Linda was that she'll meet in heaven with her daddy, and with the love of her life, Rick Deneka, a reunion we know she's been looking forward to.

Linda had many names under her belt. Whether you knew her as "Rin-tin-tin" like her dad, as "Gigi" like her grandkids, or simply Linda like the countless others who adored her, one thing is for sure: you probably loved her, and you're certainly missing her now.

We love you, Linda. You really were a ray of fucking sunshine.

Celebration of Life Service

A service celebrating Linda’s life will be held on September 26 at 11:00 a.m.

16788 Cement City Rd.

Cement City, MI 49233