Linda Kay (Compton) Cortner

Linda Kay (Compton) Cortner, born on March 21, 1944 in Broken Bow, Nebraska to Seth Warren Compton and Helen Margueriete (Shepardson) Compton, died October 8, 2014 at the age of 70 in Kirkland, Washington. Over the last 10 years, Linda suffered from multiple back issues and had 2 spinal fusion surgeries. The surgeries were successful, but she still suffered from some pain. Since the end of June, the pain had increased horribly and any additional surgeries were not possible. She passed away peacefully at the Evergreen Health Hospice Center. Linda is survived by her husband Ralph Cortner Jr., her daughter Renee Setta, her daughter and son-in-law Christine and Gary Anderson, her grandchildren Seth and Brenna Anderson, her brother Robert “Bob” Compton, her sister Janet Raisch and many nieces and nephews.

Linda was the youngest child of four children. Her father was a teacher and her mother worked as a secretary at the University of Colorado after they moved to Boulder, Colorado when she was young. Janet remembers how happy Linda was being selected as a cheerleader at Baseline Junior High. She was always the most enthusiastic of the squad. Janet also recalls that Linda always was helping out in the kitchen and that her favorite birthday dinner was her Mom’s fried chicken.

Linda was a fun-loving aunt. Katie and Kelly recall her and Janet playing a home version of Let’s Make a Deal with them. Linda even made up the ‘Pepsi Wepsi’ commercial to go along with the game. She also made each of them feel special when she called them ‘Kelly Ann’ and ‘Katie Doodle’. Connie also has fond memories of her Aunt Linda spending time with her when she was going through a rough time in her life.

Linda graduated from Boulder High School in 1962. She began taking classes at the University of Colorado. In 1964 she met Ralph Eugene Cortner

Jr through a mutual friend, Art Simmons. After 10 dates over 12 days, Ralph proposed to Linda on her birthday, and they were married in Boulder, Colorado on April 4, 1964. She was 20 and Ralph was 23 as they set out on the adventure of marriage. Ralph and Linda were soul-mates that enjoyed dancing, playing cards and board games. After living briefly in New York City, while Ralph completed his service with the army and where their daughter Renee was born, they moved back to Boulder, Colorado in 1965. Their second daughter Christine was born there.

Linda loved being a mother and wife. Linda loved baking, particularly for the holidays. The Potica Holiday Bread that she and Elaine Simmons first baked in Boulder, Colorado has become a family tradition. Once the girls were in school she also took up craft work and made many items to give as gifts. When they moved to Arvada, Colorado in 1973, she began assisting in the kindergarten class at Little Elementary as a teacher’s aide.

She made many friends in the school and joined in with their monthly Bunco group. It was always a fun night at the house when it was her turn to host the party. She always found time to have the girl’s friends over too.
Linda started collecting skunks when she made an offhand comment when others were talking about their collections she said “What should I collect….. skunks?” The idea stuck with everyone else. She then received a wide variety of them as gifts over the years and she and Ralph looked for unusual ones during their travels.

Linda loved having people around to laugh and share time with. When the girls were in high school she “adopted” many of their very special friends to be a part of the family and fed them her delicious lasagna at the adoption parties.

Family was very important to her and most holidays and vacations were planned to be with family. As an adult, she especially enjoyed the Shepardson reunions where they got to make ‘The Recipe’ and pass around the bowl. She and her sister, Janet, were typically the last ones to call it a night and giggled all the way to bed.

Linda and Ralph moved to Washington in 1996. In 1999 Ralph and Linda and the Andersons all moved into a home together. There they spent time with Christine and Gary and were able to watch their grandchildren, Seth and Brenna, grow to young adults. Linda was happy when she was helping the grandkids with their activities and getting to spend a little one-on-one time.

Linda always loved yellow roses, sunsets, the turning of the aspen and the ocean. May you think of her with love and friendship the next time one catches your eye.