Linda Rose Kempton McKinnon

Linda Rose Kempton McKinnon passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on October 8, 2023. She was born in her parents’ home on September 23, 1940, to Caroline Moore and Elmer Joseph Kempton in Payson, Utah. She was the youngest of six children.

Linda attended the Peteetneet Elementary School, which is now a pioneer museum, in Payson, Utah. At age 15, her family moved to Salt Lake City, where she attended Roosevelt Jr. High and South High School. During the summer months of high school, she worked as a cashier at Saltair Resort. There, she met her future husband, Gary Francis McKinnon.

After graduation, Linda was a secretary in the Presiding Bishopric’s Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She and Gary were married on December 16, 1960, in the Salt Lake Temple. She then worked as a secretary at Sperry Univac (now L3) as Gary earned his BS and MBA degrees at the University of Utah.

Linda supported her husband and played a significant role in his conferral of Ph.D. at the University of Texas. She used her secretarial skills to aid him in his academic and professional endeavors. Gary credited Linda throughout his career as the driving force in his accomplishments.

Linda was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her life. She held numerous church callings, serving in the Primary, the Young Women organization, Sunday School, Cub Scouts, and as the Stake Relief Society President of the Provo North Stake on Grandview Hill. She also enjoyed serving for three years as a Church Service Missionary at the Relief Society Building in Salt Lake City.

Linda loved serving in the community, especially as a room mother in her children’s classrooms. She served as the President of the PTA at Dixon Jr. High and at Provo High School. She was involved with BYU Women, serving one year as President. She volunteered on the Women’s Endowment Board of the Festival of Trees for over twenty years, and later served on the Alumni Board of that organization.

Linda and Gary lived in Moldova for six months as he served as a Fulbright Professor. Although she didn’t speak the language, she served at an orphanage, where she loved holding and singing to the babies. A few years later, Linda accompanied Gary to Lisbon, Portugal, where he served another Fulbright appointment. Gary’s job also took their family to Hawaii, where they enjoyed living on two separate occasions. She enjoyed traveling abroad with Gary as he fulfilled various academic assignments.

When Gary retired from BYU, Linda served with him on an 18-month mission to Boston, Massachusetts. They then served two years at the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial in Vermont, where Gary was the Director. They also served together for three years as Church Service Missionaries, giving tours at the LDS Conference Center.

Linda’s family was her greatest joy. She loved decorating cakes, sewing, organizing, and creating a home full of love. Her grandchildren fondly remember frequent trips to Hogle Zoo, the Bean Museum, Thanksgiving Point, Onion Days in Payson, the McKinnon family tree at Wheeler Farm, swimming at their St. George home, and grandma’s waterfall at the family cabin at Fairview Lakes.

Linda and Gary raised their family in Provo, Utah on Grandview Hill. Linda is survived by her six children: Bradley (Sherry), Laurel (Mark) Poulos, Mark (Mauricette), Lynnette (David) Grant, Gregory (Rachael), and David (Lindsay). They are blessed with thirty grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren.

Linda was preceded in death one month prior by her eternal companion, Gary. They would have celebrated their 63rd wedding anniversary in December. She is also preceded in death by her parents, both of whom passed from this life when she was 25 years old, as well as her siblings and their spouses, and her granddaughter Ashley Rose Poulos. They are having a blessed and happy reunion.

The family thanks Kathy Marsden, her hospice nurse, for all the loving care she gave to Linda.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 11:00 am at the American Fork 14th Ward chapel located at 1100 East 400 North, American Fork, Utah, where a Viewing will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 am. Interment will take place in the Provo City Cemetery.

Funeral Directors: Utah Valley Mortuary. Condolences may be expressed to the family at utahvalleyfuneral.com.