Linda Ruth Jeffery

Memorial service for Linda Ruth Jeffery, 70, of Aurora will be 2 PM Thursday, December 19, 2013 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Aurora with Pastor Brendan Johnston officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Inurnment will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Aurora. Arrangements are by the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. Mrs. Jeffery died Sunday, December 15, 2013 at Essentia Health Northern Pines in Aurora. Linda was born on April 27, 1943 to Eino and Dorothy (Oberg) Saranen in Virginia. She grew up and attended school in Virginia, graduating from the Virginia High School, Class of 1961. Following high school she attended the Virginia Junior College and then transferred to UMD, graduating with a bachelor degree in elementary education in 1964. Linda was united in marriage to John Jeffery on December 18, 1965 in Virginia. Linda had been employed by the Gilbert and St. Louis County school districts and finally Aurora-Hoyt Lakes where she retired from Mesabi East after 25 years of service in 1999. Linda was very active in the community. She was a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church ELCA where she served as the president of the women’s group and would play the piano. She was a member of the PEO, the ladies of Kaleva, the ISD #2711 retired teachers. She volunteered in many capacities including Meals on Wheels, the Salvation Army, organizing the Aurora Quilt Show, and was involved in the timing building at Giants Ridge for high school and Pepsi Challenge races. Linda had the honor of being a part of the timing at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics for cross country skiing. Linda was a curler at Curl Mesabi having participated in Women’s National Bonspiels. In her spare time, Linda enjoyed visiting the family cabin on Lake Vermilion, her flowers, quilting, traveling, and her family. Survivors include her husband of 48 years, John; a son, Erik (Shanon) Jeffery of Virginia; a daughter, Amy (Alan) Dettmer of Grand Rapids, MN; three sisters, Sandy Johnson of the Twin Cities, Ann Tarango of Los Angeles, CA, and Carol (Paul) Ciolino of Chicago, IL; a step-mother, Ruth Saranen of Virginia; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Eino and Dorothy Saranen.