Linda Rutschman Horton 1942 - 2025

Linda Kay Rutschman was born to Carl and Ida Rutschman in The Dalles, Oregon. She joined her sister, Carol, 15 months old. The family moved from Condon to a farm near Dayton, Oregon, where Linda, Carol, Frank, and Janice all attended Dayton schools. Carl farmed and taught school. 

Linda became a Christian at a young age. The family attended Unionvale Church, where Linda was actively involved and made many life-long friendships.

 Annual gatherings with large extended families on both her mother’s side (Coats family of Sherman County, Oregon) and father’s side (Rutschmans and Lehmans of Yamhill County) were happy events. Cousins were always treasured!

 In school, Linda was active in band, sang in a trio, was junior May Queen, and participated in school social activities and clubs.

 She met Terry Horton of McMinnville, Oregon, in Wil and Barb Wilson’s strawberry field, and they were a couple by bean season! They married in 1964, and celebrated their 61st anniversary shortly before her death.

 Linda became an RN. Among other locations, she nursed in McMinnville, Salem Hospital, and Salem Pediatric Clinic. 

 In 1975, Terry and Linda and their children, Shelly and Jonathan, moved to Penang, Malaysia. Dalat was a boarding school for missionaries' children where Linda was "mother" to the boys. It was a wonderful community life, and the relationships formed there have remained strong. They moved back permanently to their south Salem home in 1991.

 Linda loved to travel, visiting Europe, Southeast Asia, and Israel. She was very involved at the Salem Alliance Church with her Life Group and Bible studies. Extended family, childhood events, camping trips, Dalat School, and her children and grandchildren were always important to her. Linda’s humor and laughter with Terry, along with being a Christ-believer, were key components of her life.

At age six, Linda had contracted rheumatoid fever, which resulted in permanent heart damage. She had two major heart surgeries, the first at age 37. She never expected to live a long life and was very grateful. Linda’s health was failing in the last year with multiple hospitalizations. She passed away peacefully in her sleep on June 25, 2025. She will be greatly missed. 

 Her surviving family includes husband, Terry; daughter, Shelly (Ron) West; son, Jonathan (Lori) Horton; grandchildren, Cameron (Mony) West, Chris (fiancée, Steph) West, Greg (Melissa) West, Kimberly (Austen) Nachbur, and Elizabeth Horton; great-grandson, Oliver West; brother, Frank (Nellie) Rutschman; and sister, Jan (Brent) Biles.

 Linda’s memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, August 22, at Salem Alliance Church.