Linda Kirkelie

Linda Lee Kirkelie (Littler) passed away peacefully surrounded by family on January 20, 2026 in Ridgefield, WA.

She was born in Vancouver, WA on November 14, 1946 to Bruce and Palma Littler. She grew up in Vancouver and graduated from Fort Vancouver High School.

She married Ed Kirkelie on December 30, 1966 and moved with him to North Dakota, eventually settling in Minot where they raised their two children.

Her care for others in need started early, with deliveries of peanut butter sandwiches to people passing through her neighborhood. She fondly remembered working at a strawberry farm at a young age, having to prove she was capable of being responsible and doing the work of others older than her. She talked about being one of the only girls allowed to wear pants to school because of her participation in marble games with the boys during recess.

She had very special friendships that lasted a lifetime from her childhood in Vancouver. DelRae, Lindsay, Linda, Ida & Gloria were lifelong friends. After settling in Minot, she added more very special friendships from their Meadowbrook neighborhood to that list including Mary, Lollie, Joyce, Blanche, Delores, Wan, Jean and Tina along with so many others over the years. She spent many years golfing with her friend Loretta in Minot. Her friendships were so important to her and brought her a lot of comfort.

Linda loved spending time with her sisters Lorene and Sheila and keeping track of what was happening with her nieces and nephews. As a child, she enjoyed visiting her relatives with her parents, siblings and cousins in the Poulsbo and Ridgefield WA areas.

She was the best cheerleader for her 6 grandchildren, giving them all so much love and attention and making each of them feel uniquely seen and extra special to her.

Linda was known for her incredible work ethic. After raising her children, she had different jobs, most notably at Vocational Rehabilitation in Minot and later at Kaso Plastics, earning

Employee of the Year honors at both. She retired from traditional work to focus on her grandchildren later in life, spending as much time as she could with them and encouraging each of them to learn new things, go on adventures and always be kind.

Linda and Ed remained married for over 59 years. They both enjoyed spending time in nature together, visiting friends and following their grandchildren around. They were active members of the Curling Club in Minot, served as Scout leaders and enjoyed playing softball in the Minot leagues. They loved working on projects and exploring their property in the Turtle Mountains and visiting their close friends nearby, the Monson family. Remarkably, they passed away within hours of each other on the same day after a difficult year of health challenges for both. Their passing on together brought comfort to their family.

Linda shared many times that she had placed her life in the hands of the Lord. She is survived by her children Ken (Kitty) Kirkelie, Kari (John) Mausshardt and 6 grandchildren Bailey, Alex, Kaylee, Ted, Jack, & Kendal. She is also survived by her sister Lorene and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Sheila and brother Don.

A celebration of Linda’s life along with Ed’s will be held in Vancouver, WA on Sunday February 1st at her close friend Lindsay’s bar and grill, Jake’s from 11-2. Services will be held in the Minot/Bottineau area for them both Memorial Day weekend. Details to follow.