Linda Lou (Lawson) Kremsner

Linda Lou (Lawson) Kremsner of New Lenox, Ill was called to her eternal rest on April 29, 2017, held in the light, and wrapped in the prayers of her entire family.  Linda was born at the Salvation Army Booth Memorial Hospital on the northwest side of Chicago, Ill on January 30, 1946 and was immediately adopted by her adoring and beaming parents, Lewis Cecil Lawson and Phyllis Elizabeth (Taluzek) Lawson, who had their prayers for a child finally answered that day.

Linda spent her early years on Chicago's south side and graduated from Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, where she was also crowned Miss Blue Island in Calumet Park’s 1964 Beauty Pageant.  A gifted artist, she received a full scholarship to study at the Goodman School of Theatre but opted instead to go to work with the Chicago Board of Trade, which prepared her well for her many winning streaks at the game of Pit later in life.

A country girl at heart, Linda loved horseback riding and met her to-be husband Gerald Kremsner (as well as future sisters-in-law) at Sarge’s Stables in Palos.  She married Jerry in 1969 just before he shipped out for boot camp, and when he returned they settled in New Lenox to start their family.  She had a pervasive wanderlust as well as a love for the woods and any body of water, and so enjoyed any excuse to get lost or take the long way home on the back roads.  She was also a gifted quilter, knitter and cross-stitcher, and she took it to a new art form.

Linda fought for social justice her whole life, including anti-poverty work in high school as a VISTA volunteer in Appalachia, peace movement work during the Vietnam War, and later, her support of the Black Lives Matter movement with her beloved Unitarian Universalist Church in Joliet, where she was also the Board President.  After making sure her family was well taken care of, she went to college herself in her 40’s and earned a degree as a counselor, helping people struggling with drug and alcohol dependencies.  Linda worked for Tikkun Olam every day, doing her part to repair the world in order to leave it a bit better and kinder than when she entered it.

Linda’s bright spirit lives on in her husband of 48 years, Gerald Kremsner, and her daughter, Sarah Kremsner (Emily White).  Other survivors include her sister-in-law, Judy Taylor of Oklahoma, nieces and nephews, Chris Jones (Tim Plezbert) and Corey Jones (Tina Jones) of Illinois, and Jason Taylor (Anita Taylor), Lyssa Taylor (Trell Thompson) and Ryan Taylor (Lisa Taylor) of Oklahoma, as well as many great-nieces and nephews.  Linda was preceded in death by her parents, as well as her sister-in-law Patricia Jones and her brother-in-law Ronald Taylor.  The family would like to share that the three of them are presently causing a ruckus together in a better place.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials have been established in Linda’s name at both the Unitarian Universalist Church of Joliet (3401 West Jefferson St., Joliet, IL 60431; 815-744-9020) or at the Wounded Warriors Family Support (www.wwfs.org).  A Celebration of her Life will be held in the coming weeks.

Country roads, take me home

To the place I belong

West Virginia, mountain momma

Take me home, country roads

-John Denver

We will remember and celebrate the life of Linda Kremsner on Friday, June 9, 2017.

A graveside service will be performed at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood Illinois (20953 W Hoff Road) at 10:00 am.  We will also have a Celebration of Life gathering at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Joliet (3401 W Jefferson Street) from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm that afternoon, where we will honor her memory by sharing stories, food, great music and a little scotch-whisky.

Anyone wishing to participate in the service at Lincoln National Cemetery is asked to arrive by 9:45 am, as the cemetery staff will create a procession lane in order to escort us to the grave site.