Linda Ann (Agnew) Stephenson - 1948 - 2019

Linda Ann Agnew was born August 29, 1948, to Clint and Mary Francis (Frankie) Agnew in Leavenworth, Washington, just a few miles down the road from the family’s apple and cherry orchards. One of four children, Linda spent her early years playing with her brothers, Ken and Phil, their cousin, Patrick, and her sister, Joyce, in the hills and forests that surrounded their home; splashing and fishing in Peshastin Creek at the foot of their hill; and working alongside the rest of her family thinning and picking in the orchards. She graduated from Peshastin-Dryden High School in 1966, where she was both Homecoming Queen and an Apple Blossom Princess.
In 1968, Linda married Richard Fuller, and they moved first to Ellensburg, Washington, for college, and then south to Oregon. While living in Eugene, they welcomed their son, Jeff, into the world, and then moved the family to McMinnville, Oregon, where Richard taught at Linfield College and Linda became a student, ultimately earning her bachelor’s degree.
Once in McMinnville, Linda and Richard parted ways, and after a stint as a Resident Assistant in the dorms at Linfield, Linda and Jeff moved in with Rob Stephenson, a friend and fellow student in her English class. The three of them quickly became a family and, in 1977, Rob and Linda were married. In 1979, their daughter Erin was born, and together they raised their family in McMinnville, surrounded by wonderful friends who in every way became family.
Linda’s career always revolved around her love of architecture and homes. In 1977, she took a position with Yamhill County and spent a decade driving all its back roads, appraising houses for the Assessor’s office. In 1988, she ran for elected office, and became Yamhill County’s first female Tax Assessor, a position she held for three terms, until she chose to retire from public service. During her tenure as Assessor, she worked on a statewide level to lead the implementation of Measure 50, which rewrote the property tax system for the state of Oregon. In 2000, she continued to pursue her passion for real estate as a Realtor for Windermere. Over the course of her long career, Linda was also deeply involved in the community, especially loving her role as a Rotarian, where she led the youth exchange program, chaired the Wine & Art Auction, and served as club president.
Linda was a prolific reader (she was teased for having finished the complete works of Shakespeare in the fifth grade—a possible exaggeration); an avid gardener who could get just about anything to grow; a passionate and limitless baker, sometimes churning out several dozen cookies and more than one cake in a week (all while working full time); a lover of animals of all sizes and shapes; and an ambitious traveler, always up for any adventure—the farther afield the better. Linda’s love for her children and grandchildren was boundless, and she was forever engaging in a sword fight, playing a game of cards, singing songs to them or reading stories. She loved them passionately and lived her life setting an example of generosity, hard work, endless curiosity, good humor and, above all else, strength, determination and courage.
Linda is survived by her husband, Robert Stephenson; daughter, Erin Stephenson; son-in-law, Travis Easterday; and grandsons, Rowan and Ledger Easterday, all of McMinnville; her son, Jeffrey Fuller; daughter-in-law, Hilary Altman Fuller; and granddaughters, Mayanne and Indiana Fuller, all of Miami, Florida; and her siblings, Kenneth Agnew of Yakima, Washington, Phillip Agnew of Malaga, Washington, and Joyce Quiton of Tacoma, Washington.
A memorial service for Linda will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday July 13, at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in McMinnville. Donations in Linda’s honor can be made to A Family Place Children’s Relief Nursery. To leave condolences, visit www.macyandson.com.