Linda S. Booth

LINDA S. BOOTH, 70 of Ogallala, NE, passed away Saturday, September 19, 2015 at Grant, NE.

Linda was born Linda Sue Mattson on August 2, 1945 at Denver's St. Anthony Hospital; daughter of Kathleen (Britt) Mattson and Henry "Matt" Mattson, and grew up in Arvada Colorado. Her mother died when Linda was 10 years old. She graduated from Arvada High School in 1963. Her father retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander and died in November 1993.

Linda's childhood passion revolved around horses. During her marriage to Lloyd Booth she bred, trained, and showed her own horses, as well as showing other people's horses for them. For a number of years she led a club for kids to teach them about caring for, riding, and showing horses. While working at a veterinary clinic to pay off a vet bill Linda found that she was good at putting IVs into cats... this led her to enter a phlebotomy training program and become a Certified Phlebotomist and work at several Denver metro area hospitals for many years.

At her home church in Arvada Linda found out about a training program for Stephen Ministers; lay people who are trained to assist the clergy in providing emotional and spiritual support one-on-one to people experiencing difficult times in their lives such as grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, relocation, or separation due to military deployment. Linda completed the program in 1999.

After moving to Keystone Nebraska in 1998 Linda learned about the need for foster homes in the area and decided to become a foster parent. Over the years she took in many foster kids, adopted one (Anthony Daniel Booth), and became guardian of another (Alicia Lopez). In addition, she was hired as co-director and later as director of Keith County CASA, advocating in the courts to ensure that the rights and needs of each child are being attended to while in foster care. Under her leadership CASA was expanded into Garden, Perkins, Deuel, and Arthur counties. After retiring from CASA she became a volunteer with Sandhills Crisis Center until her cancer diagnosis in September 2013.

Linda was preceded in death by her brother Stan Lee Mattson and leaves behind her daughter, Suzanna Clifford and her husband Arnold Clifford of Marysville Washington, two grandchildren: Chad Thibert and Ciarra Thibert, three great-grandchildren: Sophia, Tyler, and Cassandra, and her sister Caryl Jones of Arvada, CO.

A memorial has been established in her memory. Condolences may be shared at prairiehillsfuneralhome.com, where the service will also be streamed live for those unable to attend.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 11:00 AM at the Keystone Presbyterian Church with Pastor Duane Dunwoody officiating.

Visitation for memorial book signatures will be on Friday, September 25, 2015 from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM at the Prairie Hills Funeral Home.

Prairie Hills Funeral Home of Ogallala is in charge of arrangements.