Linda L. McGaw

Linda L. McGaw, 76, of Junction City, Kansas went to be with Jesus on January 10, 2025. She passed away at Valley View Senior Living having been a resident in the estates and then moving to the skilled side when her health deteriorated. 

Linda has been cremated. A celebration of life service will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, January 20, 2025 at First Christian Church with Pastor Ronnie Roberts officiating. A private graveside service will be held at Kansas Veterans' Cemetery. 

Linda was born November 12, 1948, in Junction City, Kansas, the first daughter of Earl and Verleen Hayter. She graduated from JCHS in 1966. After graduation, she worked as a secretary for Bill Stahl and later became the secretary for First Christian Church, where she was a member. She then got a job as an aide for Valley View where she was encouraged by Mrs. Barbara Bush to further her education to become a nurse. She had also been a candy striper in high school which is where she found out she had an interest in nursing. It seems early on, others recognized nursing as her calling. In 1977, Linda graduated from the Manhattan Area Vocational Technical School as an LPN. She was known to be a meticulous nurse when it came to handling the meds and a very compassionate and dedicated one in her interaction with the patients or residents. She was named the Employee of the Year in 1980. 

In 1988, Linda married Randy McGaw and gained two stepchildren. She would not return to nursing after that, but the 15 years she spent at Valley View were some of her happiest and most fulfilling times. In the years to come, she would pour her heart into the lives of her new family. Her selfless, giving attitude was a blessing to all who knew her. She had a heart of gold and always wanted to help, whether it was convenient for her or not. She simply put others first. 

She was a car aficionado and drove fun cars that her sisters liked to ride in. She was also a CB operator for awhile with a handle of Honey Dew. She loved to travel when she could.

The times she spent with her three sisters were special memories. There were some fun trips, lots of card-playing with raucous laughter and maybe a few shenanigans. The bind they had was a special one, made even stronger when she stepped in as a mother figure to the younger ones after their parents' divorce. 

The past couple of years , she really started to enjoy working puzzles and would sit for hours at the table just around the corner from her apartment at the estates. She also loved watching sports and would actually listen to the JCHS or K-State football games on a transistor radio when she couldn't get them on the TV. She was an avid fan of the KC Chiefs. Another way she loved passing the time was watching Hallmark movies. She knew many of the names of the actors and actresses. 

Linda made a lot of good friends at Valley View and enjoyed many interesting conversations on a variety of subjects. She had come full circle from when she had been a nurse there. She would point out people she had worked with when she was there that were still at Valley View. She had some incredible aides and nurses who gave her great care and treated her with respect and dignity toward the end of her life. 

Linda is survived by two step-daughters, Randie Marie McGaw and Nichole McGaw; three sisters, Marsha Canaday (Tom), Cindy Huizingh and Sheila Kelly (Ron); one grandchild, Christian Anderson; three step-granddaughters, Rachael Sliger (Robert), Mary McGaw and Bethany McGaw; one great-granddaughter, Tayven Anderson.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Jamie Weems and two step-sons, Jim McGaw and Patrick McGaw.

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