Link for Linda's Funeral Service www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KQjSji-NYM

Linda Weitzel passed away at Mary Greeley Medical Center on February 26, 2023, after cardiac arrest on February 22. Visitation will be Friday, March 3 from 4 pm to 6 pm at Memorial Lutheran Church in Ames. Committal service will be Saturday, March 4 at 10:30 am at Ontario Cemetery in Ames. A Service of Hope and Resurrection will be Saturday March 4 at 11:30 am at Memorial Lutheran Church in Ames.

Linda Diane Schmidt Weitzel was born on September 5, 1952, in Waterloo, Iowa, the first child of Johan (Johnny) Regner Schmidt and Lorraine Mae Hansen Schmidt. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls. She graduated from Orange High School in Waterloo in 1970 as a co-valedictorian, and from Iowa State with a BS in Biology in 1974.

While at ISU Linda was very active at University Lutheran Church near the campus. It was during one of these activities in 1971 that she met Norman Weitzel. They were married on January 4, 1975, at Memorial Lutheran Church in Ames. They became parents of three daughters. Linda made their family budget work through smart grocery and rummage sale shopping. Linda and Norm did things together as often as possible, and enjoyed working crosswords, hugging each other, holding hands, and walking with arms locked together. According to Norm, "God's gift of Linda to me as my wife brought me more love, joy, friendship, forgiveness, happiness, and fulfillment than I ever could have imagined was possible." She loved Norm singing "Scotch & Soda" to her.

She worked briefly for ISU Biology labs and as a waitress, then became a proud stay-at-home mom. She did some in-home child care. She volunteered at the Sawyer Elementary writing center, making students' stories and artwork into books they could keep. She eventually became its coordinator and vastly expanded its success, receiving an Iowa Governor's Volunteer Award for that work. Following that, she worked for 13 years at Lemstone Christian Bookstore in Ames, where she loved helping customers find items to fit their needs, retiring in 2008.

Linda's faith and trust in the Lord Jesus led her to be a very active member of Memorial Lutheran Church, teaching children's classes and serving as a Women of Memorial officer. While Norm was the music leader for Camp Okobboji's Youth Week, Linda contributed greatly to producing the daily camp newsletter.

Her most ongoing involvement was with Norm, singing, playing guitar, and all aspects of music ministry. Linda was very active in singing her whole life, and had a beautiful soprano voice. She sang in choirs at all ages, including ULC's "Hexodus" and Memorial's "Praise Hymn Singers", and sang solos and duets for worship services, with Norm on guitar. Making music together was one of their great joys. Linda and Norm have led music for Wednesday student fellowship at Memorial for more than ten years, up until her death.

Linda struggled with temporal lobe epilepsy most of her adult life, but was blessed with very good seizure control while her girls were growing up. She worked hard to be active in church and family activities despite the side-effects that her anti-seizure medications would sometimes have on her. Her courage and determination in the face of that and other physical problems which made many common activities difficult, if not impossible, were inspiring. Through it all she loved her family deeply and enjoyed seeing her grandchildren's activities. She loved camping and needlework when she was able to do them.

Linda is survived by her husband, Norm Weitzel, of Ames; daughter Sarah (Jack) Chang of West Des Moines; daughter Bethany (Josh) Prins, of Hartland, Wisconsin; daughter Karleen (Paul) Hester of Stelzenberg, Germany; eight grandchildren; sisters Barbara Blough of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Debra Hauskins of Marion; eight nephews; five nieces; and nine cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Jeff, sister Nancy Crandell, and pre-born grandson William Hester.

Online condolences may be directed to www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com