Linda Merritt, 66, of Janesville died Aug. 28, 2016, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato.

A gathering of family and friends will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Purple Goose in Janesville. Interment will be in Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

Linda Lee Merritt was born July 2, 1950, in Dennison, Texas. As a young girl, her mother moved her family to Minnesota where Linda graduated from Freeborn High School in 1968. On April 28, 1973, Linda was united in marriage to Clete Merritt in Pickerel Lake. Together they raised two children and a stepson in Janesville, where they have lived for 40 years. Linda worked for E.F. Johnson for some time after marriage and later as a cook at Trinity Lutheran School in Janesville. She was most recently was employed as a paraprofessional at Janesville – Waldorf – Pemberton School District for 21 years before retiring in 2016.

Linda was very family orientated. She enjoyed the time she spent with her husband, children and grandchildren, whether it was up at the family cabin near Grand Rapids or cheering on her children and most recently her grandchildren at their football and basketball games. Linda was a huge sports fan, especially of the Minnesota Vikings.

Linda is survived by her husband, Clete; her daughter, Stacia (Cody) Elzie of St. Paul; her son, Joshua (Megan) Merritt of Bothell, Washington; and her stepson Carl (Erin) Payne of Santee, California; her seven grandchildren, Michael and Darnell King, Camden and Kylea Merritt and Danielle, Jenna and Trevor Payne; her mother, Mary Fink of Blue Earth; her sister, Leslie (Doug) Becker of Easton; sisters-in-law Marion (Don) Strauss of Janesville and Regina Bair of Freeborn; brothers-in-law Ray Merritt of Devils Lake, North Dakota, and Roger (Mary) Merritt of Freeborn; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

For online tributes and further information, visit www.McRaithFuneralHome.com.