September 14, 1949 - September 1, 2024

In loving memory ~

Born in Byske, Sweden, a small village in Northern Sweden near the Baltic Sea, to Ruth and Ingevald Karlsson, Linnea was raised in a rural hunting and fishing family. She lived her life to the fullest and was always up for an adventure!

Linnea immigrated from Sweden to Canada in 1974 with her first husband Magne and their daughter Erika, who was born in Sweden in 1970.

In 1975 Linnea met Lloyd, they married in 1978 and set off on a motorcycle, travelling around Europe. Ramona was born soon after, in 1979. Linnea and Lloyd lived in Kitimat, Terrace, Revelstoke, Menzies Bay, and Campbell River, before settling in Merville where they built a log home and raised Erika and Ramona along the Tsolum River. She loved nature, wilderness, and particularly botany. A walk with Linnea, while always at a fast pace, included learning about every plant along the way.

In Sweden, Linnea worked in kitchens and restaurants, alongside her sister Lisbeth. After moving to Canada, she worked in a hardware store, pulp mills, logging camps, and Eatmore Sprouts, and was even in the movie The 13th Warrior! She worked many jobs but put her heart into her family and home.

Linnea had an affinity for learning languages. She learned English after arriving in Canada, honing it in her hardware store job and quickly became fluent. Linnea went on to learn Spanish and continued working on fluency in her travels, her Spanish classes, and her ongoing pen-pal correspondences. Odd expressions and puns always brought a smile to her face.

Linnea loved travel, biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, and running. She enjoyed everything from a 'casual' bike ride to Roberts Lake for a coffee, to a stroll with friends or family鈥攊f it was far enough! She was determined and full of grit (SISU as she always called it) making her a fierce competitor in long-distance Nordic skiing and running races, and of course the local Snow to Surf race. Linnea hiked mountains, ran marathons, and biked everywhere. Even as her disease was beginning at age 67, she and Lloyd bicycled over 4500 km, from Banff to Mexico, on the Continental Divide Trail!

An amazing wife, mother, friend, athlete, and community member, we are grateful to have had Linnea in our lives. Those who knew her will remember her for her fierce spirit, kind heart, quirky sense of humour and her delicious cooking and baking.

Linnea will be deeply missed by her husband Lloyd, children Erika and Ramona (Garrett), grandchildren Johan, Tarran and Quill, her siblings, Lisbeth, Eva and Kerstin, extended family, and friends. Linnea was predeceased by brothers Leif and Kurt.

Linnea faced PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy) with courage and resilience.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) Society of Canada https://pspsocietycanada.ca/home-ngo/donate/.

A gathering will be held on September 22nd, at 5 pm at the Dove Creek Hall in memory of Linnea.

For more information contact Lloyd or Ramona or stay tuned here https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/iMLOauuq.