Linda Lee (Merritt) Pfau

Linda Lee (Merritt) Pfau 80, died Monday December 28, 2020 at the Medical Center Intensive Care Unit of Newton, Kansas.  She was born October 28, 1940 in Ames, Iowa to Lee and Evelyn (Lund) Merritt.  On April 4, 1961 she married Melvin Eugene Pfau at Boulder, Colorado; Melvin preceded her in death by one week, December 21, 2020.

Linda attended Colorado State University where she met Mel, and later worked as an Assistant Dietician at the St. Joseph Hospital in Denver.  Linda also worked in a variety of other positions over the years.  She was a church secretary, worked in the scalehouse at the Yuma, Colorado beet dump, was an administrative assistant in the Sherman County Extension office, and a paraprofessional for speech services at USD 352.

Linda and Mel were members and actively involved in the United Methodist Church in Goodland, KS.  Additionally, Linda and Mel were co-chairs of the Genesis Food Pantry of Sherman County for 5-years.  It was important to Linda and Mel to raise food insecurity awareness in their community.

Linda was very active in many community, church, and civic organizations throughout her life including Philanthropic Educational Organization, United Methodist Bell Choir, a Girl Scout Leader, volunteered for countless community or student fundraisers, served as a foster parent and volunteered to help with children who were disabled, took in teenagers who were displaced, and was nominated the Great Western Sugar Press Colorado Young Mother of the Year in 1974.

Linda especially enjoyed time with her family, spending time with her friends who she always had plenty of, doing arts and crafts with her grandkids, visiting her beloved mountains in Colorado, reading, crafts, playing cards or scrabble, the art of creating, including scrapbooking, genealogy, gardening (in which she was considered a master gardener), and visiting basically any casino with Mel.  She also loved traveling at any time including her and Mel’s numerous retirement trips highlighted by visiting Europe.  She talked about her memories of Paris, France often.  However, and most importantly, she loved her family and grandkids most of all.

She is survived by her daughter Kelli Pfau of Wichita, son Jon Pfau (Stacia) of Ozawkie, and 5 grandchildren, Parker, Katherine, Haley, Braeden, and Jenna. She is also survived by brother Richard Merritt of Bethesda, Maryland.

Linda is preceded in death by her parents. The love of her life, Mel, also preceded her in death by one week, passing on December 21, 2020.

Due to the current safety and gathering restrictions, there will be no visitation or funeral services at this time.  The family will plan a celebration of life service for Linda and Melvin in the spring.

Memorial donations in Linda’s name may be made to Genesis Food Pantry of Sherman County, in care of Petersen Funeral Home, 215 North Main, Newton, Kansas 67114.