Sheridan native Linda J. McKenzie, 64, of Buffalo, died Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, after a long battle with cancer.

Visitation is 1-9 p.m. Thursday and 8-9:30 a.m. Friday at Adams Funeral Home in Buffalo. Services will be 10 a.m. Friday in the funeral home chapel with Pastor Tom Saur officiating. Graveside services and burial will follow in Willow Grove Cemetery.

Born Oct. 7, 1943, in Sheridan, to Steven and Dorothy (Hepp) Will, she attended Kearny and Shell Creek country schools before her family moved to Story. She grew up in Sheridan County and graduated from Sheridan High School in 1961. In high school, she participated in intramural sports and was a member of Girls Athletic League, Future Nurses of America and the Pep Club.

After high school she attended Billings Business College for one year and took a job with Riley Motor Co. in Sheridan. She also clerked at Tuckers Inc. in the 1960s and was secretary to Dr. Riggs in the superintendent of schools office in Sheridan.

She married Raynard McKenzie on Sept. 11, 1968, in Helena, Mont., and they resided in California for a short time before moving to Prescott, Ariz. The couple returned to Wyoming in 1969, working for various ranches in Sheridan and Johnson counties. They moved to Buffalo, where Mrs. McKenzie was a teacher’s aide for the Johnson County School District for 14 years beginning in 1978. She retired in 1993 and volunteered at Meadowlark School in Buffalo, where she assisted Mrs. Dahl’s and Mrs. Smith’s reading classes.

She was a member of First United Methodist Church, a Cub Scout den mother, 4-H community leader, taught crafts for Johnson County Homemakers Hobby Days, and belonged to Beta Sigma Phi Chapter Preceptor Lambda, where she was secretary many times. She was also a longtime member of Wyoming Homemakers, serving on state committees and as secretary, vice president and president of the Johnson County Council many times.

She enjoyed her grandchildren, collecting angels, brass candlesticks and salt and pepper shakers, camping, crocheting, painting Christmas figurines, and visiting with her friends on the computer, and working with children.

She was preceded in death by a brother, David Will.

Survivors include her husband; two sons, Scott of Powell and Bill of Buffalo; a brother, Steven Will of Sheridan; three grandchildren; an aunt; an uncle; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Memorials may benefit the Susie Bowling Lawrence Hospice in c/o Adams Funeral Home.

The Sheridan Press - October 7, 2008.