Linda Mary Gillespie

About Linda

Linda Mary Gillespie (Lindy) passed peacefully on Thursday, Feb 29th, at Nielsen Place Nursing Home in

Bemidji, MN, where she resided for the last 2 months.

She was born in Columbus OH September 9, 1946 to Robert Cates and Mary Margaret (Manney) Gillespie but OH was just the first stop in many over the years. She was a born wanderer always on a journey. Her family moved often while she was growing up which made her a perfect match for the Hippy Revolution. She loved the freedom of being completely mobile and being able switch directions with no attachments.

For the first 40 years she lived in multiple cities in multiple states including Illinois, MN, California, New Mexico. Her favorite place was in northern New Mexico with her sister Joe and her Family, but eventually she settled in Bemidji to raise her kids near her mother and daddy.

Over the years she had many different jobs such as artist, live-in-housekeeper for millionaires, chef, school librarian, and many others. But she really liked her job as a school bus driver and always had funny little stories about "her kids" on the bus and came home with paper flowers and noodle necklaces they made for her.

She loved volunteering at the food shelf, meals on wheels, and was very involved in the DFL and was overjoyed when she received accolades from then Senator Mark Dayton during his first run as MN Governor.

She was a lifelong member of St. Philips Catholic church and had a wonderful connection with God and she believed fully in the afterlife He promises. During her final few days she talked about how proud she was of her life full of adventures, her family and the life her two kids built. She had no regrets and felt like she did all the things she could on this planet and was very excited to be reunited with all her people that preceded her in death, her parents, Bob and Mary, sisters, Katherine Smith, Jean Gillespie, Joe Montowine along with Joe's husband John and their three boys, Gary, Kwa Thuu, and Tobey, her soul mate Arthur Naranjo and his parents Jesse and Harvey Ennis; and many other extended family members and wonderful friends.

She is survived by her children: Monica Dov (Lorin) LeMire, Duluth, MN and Mike (Chelsey) Gillespie, Petal MS; and grandchildren: Mia and Joe LeMire; siblings: Bob (Ada) Gillespie, Tom (Patty) Gillespie, Mick (Joan) Gillespie, Teresa Nelson, Charlie Gillespie, and Monica (Mike) Annette.

memorial service

Memorial Services will be held this summer at Bemidji State Park.

Funeral/Cremation Provider: Cease Family Funeral Home