Linda Lee Fries

Funeral services for Linda Lee Fries are at 10 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, at the St. Luke Lutheran Home Chapel. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to service. Burial will be at Oakland Cemetery in Peterson. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up in her name and the donations will be given to causes that were important to her. Warner Funeral Home, of Spencer is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent at www.warnerfuneralhome.com.

Linda, the daughter of Lee and Emma “Clem” (Smoyer) Gordon, was born on Nov. 30, 1935, in Santa Monica, California. The family moved to Rockwell City, Iowa, when Linda was 10 ½. She graduated from Rockwell City High School in 1953.

On June 10, 1954, Linda married Carol Fries in Rockwell City. They farmed with the Trimbles, Carol’s family, between Sioux Rapids and Linn Grove. Linda assisted on the farm while raising their family. They hosted young men from the Rancho Del Rey orphanage in Mexico who learned valuable skills as well as foreign exchange students and family from Finland. Their house was always open. They purchased their house in Peterson in 1998 and moved there in 2001 when Carol retired from farming. Carol and Linda were active members of the Riverside Presbyterian Church in Linn Grove and, during retirement, the First Congregational Church in Peterson. They also enjoyed time at their lake cabins, first on East Okoboji and, in 2002, they built their cabin on Little Spirit Lake. Carol and Linda traveled all over the U.S. and to Rancho Del Rey in Mexico. Linda always had a listening ear and was a guiding light to many.

Linda sang with a trio performing in churches, at retreats and for special events around northwest Iowa. She also had a knack for decorating and set up catered banquets while working at Buena Vista College. She was an amazing artist who created many beautiful watercolor paintings. Linda received several recognitions for her paintings as a member of the Iowa Watercolor Society and sold several of her paintings. She also enjoyed sewing and baking.

Linda passed away on Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, at St. Luke Lutheran Home in Spencer at the age of 88.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Carol in 2018; her sister, Dianne Kanerva; her niece, Gail Gordon and her nephew, Lauri Kanerva.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Elaine Fries and her husband, Bill Johnson of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Cliff Moller and his wife, Linda Briley of Fulshear, Texas; her brother, Doug Gordon and his wife, Barty of Banks, Oregon; her brother-in-law, Pentti Kanerva of Menlo Park, California; many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. The family thanks the staff at St. Luke Lutheran Home who took very good care of Linda since January 2023.