Linda Kay Gaylord passed away on September 8, 2026, at the age of 78. She was born on November 7, 1947.
To us, she was Mom or Gigi. Stern and loving, with a kind heart and a fierceness that helped her raise three children on her own through some tough times. She helped each of us whenever she could. When she couldn’t help the way she wanted to, she told us to get it done and made sure we knew she believed in us.
Mom would light up when she saw us. She was playful, quick with sarcasm, and always ready to have a little fun. Even as her body and mind began to fail, she still did her best to laugh and be playful when she could.
She loved getting out and about. She also loved popsicles and ice cream, right to the very end. For reasons we still do not understand, later in her years, she switched from butter pecan to coffee ice cream. We remain baffled.
She is survived by her daughters, Cynthia Plitt and Nona Isbell, and her favorite child, her son, Jason Bates. Jason is writing this, which should probably be taken into account. Mom would have gotten a kick out of it.
She is also survived by her grandchildren, Kiera, Isabella, Blake, and Dalton, and her great-grandchildren, Kaden, Kinsley, and Phoebe.
Her life and her presence were a gift, and we will be forever grateful for being able to call her Mom or Gigi. We will keep moving forward while living, loving, and laughing. That is who we are, and who she raised us to be.
We will miss her so very dearly.
With love, her Family
