Linda Spencer

Member since 1994
  By Carol Hollenbeck, Web Manager

Linda Spencer’s father passed away when she was only three years of age. Along with her mother and younger sister Mary she moved into a two bedroom home with her grandparents and two teenage uncles. During a bout with Whopping Cough, the two sisters sleeping quarters were moved into the kitchen pantry! That was a successful move, as they did not spread the disease to the rest of the family. She had multigenerational support while she attended Franklin School and Edison Junior High. After graduation from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1962, Linda started work at Mutual of Omaha. She was employed there until 2003. In 2004 she went to work at Creighton University coordinating third and fourth year medical student schedules, in Internal Medicine. She left Creighton in 2009 to help care for her Mother who had been diagnosed with a Lymphoma.

Linda married her husband Ray in May 1964 and they were blessed with two daughters, Teri Lynn and Dawn Marie. While raising their family the Spencers were co-chairs of Holy Family Church dinners, worked at ethnic dinners, funeral dinners, rummage sales and many other events. She taught CCD classes, attended CRHP (Christ Renews His Parish) and is currently President of the Holy Family Altar and Rosary Society. She has been an active member of her parish for 45 years. Linda lost her husband to Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2007. She has five grandchildren, three in Oklahoma and two in Council Bluffs. She makes the 488 mile trek to Oklahoma frequently to see two grandchildren who are in High School and one at OU. She has a granddaughter attending Northwest Missouri State and a grandson who will soon graduate from Bellevue University. Her nickname, “Grandma DA” was started by her oldest grandson who got the “DA” from LINDA. Her Iowa license plate reads “GRAM DA.”

Linda joined our CDA Court in September of 1994 and for 21 years has actively supported our motto of Unity and Charity. She serves on the Financial Review Committee and Coordinates the annual Life Saver Drive to fund Domestic Abuse Shelters. Linda has organized the Summer Salad Luncheon for the past five years and continues to co-chair that event with her good friend Patty McGinn. She has faithfully supported the Corpus Christi Walk, Life Chain, 40 Days for Life, and Keep CB Beautiful. She and member Patty McGinn took it upon themselves to design and create beautiful purple and gold CDA stoles, so that our members are recognizable in a Funeral Honor Guard, and a Rosary, Mass or other formal occasion. Our court is most grateful for their generosity and skills.

Outside the many, many hours Linda gives to our CDA court, she is involved in other service areas as well. She is currently the Branch Secretary/Treasurer of The First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association. She takes communion to the homebound of her church. She has been a Eucharistic Minister at CHI Mercy Hospital for six years and is a member of the Mercy Guild there. She has served on Jury Duty. BUT…when it is time to relax and celebrate good times with friends and family she is there too! There have been numerous trips down to Oklahoma in October for a huge Craft Fair, held in seven buildings on the State Fairgrounds. They made bright pink tee-shirts one year that read: “WOW” in black lettering, meaning “Wild Oklahoma Weekend!” Linda brings laughter and smiles wherever she goes and we thank her for that, and her enduring service to our court.

Look to God that you may be radiant with joy. Psalm 34:6