Linda was born April 19, 1944 to Woodrow and Dorothy Reed Russell in Miami County, Kansas. Linda graduated from LaCygne H.S. in 1962.
She was united in marriage on December 29, 1962 to Edgar Groves until his death in 1977. To this union, six children were born, Nancy, Julie, Thomas, Treva, Sara, and Elena. On November 16, 1978 she married Melvin Carlson of Randolph, Kansas and became the stepmother to David and Jessica.
Throughout her life, she served in many capacities, paid and unpaid, including bus driver for Miami R-1 schools, in-home and hospice caregiver, cook at the Leonardville, KS nursing home, housemother and cook at Alpha Xi Delta sorority at Kansas State University. She later volunteered in prison ministry, as a cook at Grindstone Lake Bible Camp in Minnesota, and experienced missionary trips to Alaska and Poland.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 14 years Edgar Groves, infant daughter Treva, sister Louise Careswell, and brothers M. Dean Russell and Roy Curtis Russell.
Linda is survived by her husband Melvin Carlson of Randolph, Kansas, son Thomas Groves (Melissa), daughters Nancy Dobson (Harvey), Julie Rice (Tim), Sara Mathis, and Elena Nelson (Pete), David Carlson (Joy), Jessica Boeckman (Joe), twenty grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, brothers Dale and Don Russell, sisters Doris Yadon (Gary), Loretta Creek, Twila Russell, Gayle Semple (Don), and Patricia Larson, as well as a host of nieces and nephews and many dear friends.
Linda will be remembered for her daily devotion to Jesus and the many ways she reflected His love to others.
