Linda Efteland

Linda (Holte) Efteland (“Gigi” to her grandsons) went to be with her Lord on March 8th 2023 at the age of 73. Linda was born on November 19, 1949 in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. She grew up on the family farm outside Grygla, Minnesota with her mother, father and 3 sisters and 3 brothers. Life on the farm and doing chores nurtured a lifelong love for family and friends, a deep respect for all life, wild and domestic, and a commitment to hard work. Linda graduated from Goodridge High School in 1967. After graduation she moved to Thief River Falls where she worked at the A&W. She moved to Moorhead, Minnesota in 1967 and worked at Mr. Steak. She also worked at Zayers (Athens, GA) and then Younkers (Cedar Falls, IA) before coming to Knoxville in 1980. In Knoxville, she worked at Miller’s, Dillard’s, Needle in a Haystack, and Old Northwest Insurance Agency before retiring in 2000. She married Jon Efteland in 1969. They had just celebrated their 54th Wedding Anniversary February 22, 2023. Linda was a devoted mother and grandmother and adored her three grandsons. She loved working in her yard and in her flower gardens. Linda was fascinated by birds (especially bluebirds, chickadees, woodpeckers, osprey, and owls) and other wildlife (especially butterflies, moose, and wolves). Linda was preceded in death by her mother, Geordes (Mattison) Holte, father, Palmer Holte and brother Roger Holte. She is survived by her husband, Jon Efteland, son, Eric Efteland, daughter-in law, Shannon (Pedigo) Efteland, grandsons Jonas, Liam, and Phoenix, her sisters Judy Miller (Richard), Jane Dahlen (Galen), and LeeAnn Nelson and brothers, Paul Holte (Vicki) and Steven Holte (Shirley) as well as numerous nieces, great nieces, nephews and great nephews. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, a memorial donation be given to the Down Syndrome Awareness Group of East Tennessee (DSAG) at PO Box 53575, Knoxville, TN 37950-3575 or online at https://dsagtn.org. Services will be held Saturday, March 25th at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 544 N Broadway, Knoxville TN. The family will be receiving friends at 3:00 followed by the service at 4:00 and a reception in the St. John’s Fellowship Hall following the service. Arrangements are being handled by the Rose Mortuary, 6200 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37919 (865-588-8578). A celebration of Linda’s life will be held later, at an as yet to be set time, in Grygla, Minnesota.

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Linda Efteland

November 19, 1949 - March 8, 2023