Obituary of Linda C. Van Loan

Linda Van Loan, 68, of Mountaindale, N.Y., died on August 18, 2013. She was born on October 20, 1944 in Chadron, NE, to Leon and Rose Gatzemeyer. She graduated from Olrichs High School in South Dakota and attended Chadron State College in Nebraska, subsequently moving to Rapid City, SD. There, while working at Duhamel Broadcasting, Linda met Joe Van Loan. She married him on August 26, 1967 and relocated to Paso Robles, CA, where he was stationed in the Army. An avid lover of horses from age four, Linda was always happiest when riding her horses -- and when rolling across the U.S. in a motor home acquired after Joe retired, in 2004. Linda made new friends wherever she went, and is beloved by all who had the good fortune to know her candor, wit, and confidence. A Memorial service will be held at the Colonial Memorial Funeral Home, 396 State Rt 52 Woodbourne, NY 12788, on Tuesday, August 27, at 7 p.m. A funeral service will also be held in Chadron, NE, at a time yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Scoliosis Research Society, 555 East Wells St., Suite 1100, Milwaukee, WI 53202-3823, Contact: 414-918-3044, or http://www.srs.org/support/.