Linda Jean Thomas

Linda was born in Abilene, Texas on August 25, 1945 to William and Irene Kazda while her dad was in the Army stationed there during WWII. She grew up in Sayner and lived there her entire life. Linda was always fascinated by wildlife, especially birds from a young age. One little picture her mother saved was of a little bitty bird Linda had drawn at age three. One of her most favorite childhood stories to tell was when she got to meet Gene Autry and his horse in Wausau. She was more excited by the horse than Gene. When she was older, she was a part of the Wisconsin Bird Count, and she would go out early in the morning just to count birds. She was a 4H leader and did volunteer work at the Northwoods Wildlife Center. Linda once saw an animal on the side of the road and it was a wolf that was barely alive, but she picked it up and put it in her car and drove it right to the wildlife center. She just couldn’t leave it there.

Linda graduated from Eagle River High School in Eagle River. She briefly went to college at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.

Linda married Darrell Thomas on September 16, 1967. She had three children, Kerry, Patty, and Danny. She also had five grandsons, Mason, Karson, Marshall, Aidan, and Brody.

When she was little, Linda first started working at the Plum Lake Golf Course with her parents and her sister, Lorraine. When she was older, she worked in the coffee shop in Sayner, and at Froelich Sayner Lodge. Later, Linda worked for Weatherization for Vilas County and then took on a role in the senior center in Woodruff.

After she retired from the senior center in 2010, she took up her favorite hobby in the world, quilting. She made so many beautiful, remarkable quilts! During retirement she would either be out watching birds or quilting, it was her second favorite! She loved to go to Sit and Sew at Plum Lake Quilts, in her opinion, the best shop in Sayner. Another passion of hers was lighthouses. She went on many trips out East to visit and see as many lighthouses out there as she could. Many of them, she would point at a picture and say, “I climbed up that one” and just grin, they made her so happy.

Linda is survived by her sister, Lorraine (Kazda) Medes, her children, Patricia Thomas (Michael Mule’) and Daniel Thomas (Angie), her five grandsons, many nieces, nephews, and cousins, her brother-in-law, James Thomas, her sisters-in-law, Eileen Thomas, Bonnie Thomas, and Judy Thomas.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Irene and Bill, her stepmother, June Ong-Kazda, her husband, Darrell Thomas, her son Kerry Thomas, her bothers-in-law, Gale Thomas, Floyd Thomas, Harley Medes, and her good friend, Roger LaPointe.

The family would like to thank all the wonderful, compassionate caregivers at Aspirus in Rhinelander for taking such good care of her in the end.

A celebration of life is planned for Saturday, July 8, at the Sayner Community Rec Center in Sayner, Wisconsin from 2 until 4 p.m. A tribute to Linda will take place at 2 p.m with lunch to follow.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hildebrand Funeral Home & Cremation Specialists, 24 E. Davenport Street, Rhinelander, Wisconsin, 54501, 715-365-4343. Everyone is invited to sign the guestbook or leave an online condolence at www.hildebrandrussfh.com.