Linda Conner Smith

Linda Conner Smith

Born in Dallas, Texas Oct. 9, 1941, Linda Conner Smith died peacefully attended by family Jan. 6.

Linda started working at a downtown Dallas bank at age 16. She had three children and after a terrible car accident in her 20s, decided to go back to school and earned her bachelor of arts and master’s degrees in science from Dallas Baptist University.

She worked as a teacher in Irving, Texas and after raising her own children and her granddaughter Robin Price, she moved to Washington and continued teaching in Tacoma and Port Orchard. She continued as a substitute teacher until she was 78.

Linda loved children, her own kids and grandchildren as well as her students. She told them stories about Longhorns and blue bonnets in Texas, her travels in Mexico and Hawaii, and wowed students with photos taken of herself with pythons.

She loved gardening, was an amazing quilter and provided hundreds of free crocheted hats to schools and community centers in Gig Harbor, Port Orchard and the Key Peninsula in the last 10 years. She was a joy to be around and will be missed by family, friends and church friends at WayPoint.

Linda is survived by her son Clint Rosson and his wife Inessa; grandchildren Daniel and Lexi; son Boyd Rosson and his wife Cathy; granddaughter Randi and great-granddaughter Sequoia; granddaughter Robin Kotelnicki and husband John; great-grandsons Buckley and Ethan; nieces Lynette and Kay Conner and their children; and stepsisters Anna and Jenny Kocyan. Linda was preceded in death by parents Ralph Conner, Louise (Pat) Morris Kocyan and her brother Wayne Conner.

A memorial service will take place at 4:00 p.m. Jan. 22 at Waypoint Church, 12719 134th Ave. NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98329. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Waypoint’s nursery, as Linda loved playing with and hugging babies.