Linda Lou Cruse, 77, of Strafford, Missouri, born February 10, 1946, in Paducah, KY, departed from this life Thursday, November 2, 2023.

Linda graduated from Paseo High School in Kansas City, MO in 1964, where she was a member of A Cappella girls’ choir and Pep Club. A few of her life joys were spending time with her family, pulling pranks, loving on her fur babies, fishing, and coffee dates with dear friends. In the words of those who loved her she was “a jokester, intelligent, incomparable, loving, beautiful, embracing, stubborn (that’s a fact), passionate, life of the party, caring, strong willed, quick witted… irreplaceable and simply the best.”

She was proceeded in death by her parents Jefferson Coley and Erma (Southwick) Coley, and sister Tina.

She is survived by her husband of 28 years Eddie Cruse; children Tammy (Randy) Choate, Tommy (Vicky) Tate, David Smith, and Stephanie Smith; grandchildren Jeffrey (Alison) Choate, Jeremy Choate, Kyle Tate, Jordan (Matti) Choate, Kelsey Tate, Brodie Ely, Lucas Ely, Lillian Ely; great grandchildren Zenna Choate, Everett Choate.

In lieu of flowers, we felt it appropriate to take donations for the Springfield Humane Society to honor her love of fur babies.

The family will receive visitors on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, starting at 1:00 pm in Greenlawn Funeral Home, North. A funeral service will immediately follow at 2:00 pm also in the funeral home. She will be laid to rest at Danforth Cemetery, Strafford, Missouri following the service.