9/4/1956 - 6/11/2023
Linda Hemenway was born at St. Olaf Hospital in Austin, Minnesota on September 4, 1956. She was the first child of Joann and Paul Hemenway and the oldest of three sisters. She was an intelligent child who loved to read and talk. She was proud of being a Minnesotan and spent hours playing in the snow, ice skating and skiing. She learned to love the Minnesota Vikings from her dad, despite three failed Superbowl attempts. Her passion for the Vikings continued through the rest of her life. She also spent time every summer with her mom’s family in New Mexico, where she had her first experience riding a horse (pony) and spent many fun hours with loads of cousins. She attended Austin High School and found her niche by playing mini-baritone in the marching band and participating on the debate team. She was also a member of a drum and bugle core in Iowa and spent her summer practicing and performing in the sweltering summer heat.
Linda’s love of history (and talking) led her to pursue a degree in teaching at Mankato University. While in college she did something that many students dreamed about but never had the courage to do. She spent a winter working at Yellowstone National Park and another teaching skiing in Big Sky, Montana. While she was there, she saved a man’s life by performing the Heimlich maneuver in the restaurant where she was waitressing. After teaching for several years, she furthered her education and earned her Master’s Degree while working full-time and parenting.
Linda’s first teaching job was in Spade, Tx, a tiny town on the border of Texas and New Mexico where her cat, Woodrow, was the class mascot. From there, she moved to Houston, Texas where she taught history and social studies to middle schoolers and coached girls’ volleyball and basketball. Over the years she taught many different grades until she found her home in teaching preschoolers. She was passionate about teaching and spent many extra hours and dollars developing unique and fun experiences for her students. One of her students’ favorites was to see caterpillars turn into Monarch butterflies, right in the classroom. She was a gifted teacher and many of her preschool students were already reading simple words by the time they started kindergarten.
Linda’s daughter, Jodee, was born on April 20, 1992. They shared a love of sports and Linda was an avid supporter of Jodee’s many sporting activities.
Linda was passionate about history and reading, and compassionate towards animals. She had a menagerie of pets throughout her lifetime and provided a loving home for dogs rescued from animal shelters over the years.
Linda moved from Houston to Omaha in October of 2022, where she lived with her mom in an Independent Living facility. She enjoyed spending time with her friends at the Brant and her family in Omaha and from Houston until she passed away on June 11, 2023.
Preceded in death by father, Paul S. Hemenway and brother-in-law, Tom Claussen
Survived by daughter, Jodee Hemenway; mother, Joann Hemenway; sisters, Judy Kopun (Predrag), Carol Claussen; niece, nephews and their children
Services will be held at a later date
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