Linda C. Lurvey, age 71, died suddenly on Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at her home. She was born on May 7, 1952 to Louis Carl Goralski and Olive Jean (Bulson) Goralski in Toledo, OH. Linda spent her early childhood growing up in southeast Michigan area first, then moving to Dousman and then Pewaukee Wisconsin.  She graduated from Pewaukee High School in 1970, where she was also a cheerleader.  In 1985 she moved to Rockford, IL where she lived for 33 years until moving back to Wisconsin in 2018. Linda attended U.W. Whitewater where she earned a Bachelor's of Accounting. Linda was married to Martin Lurvey on November 9, 1975 in Pewaukee. Linda worked as a nurse for Waukesha Memorial Hospital and as an accountant for the Waukesha Centrifugal Foundry, but her most fulfilling role was raising and caring for her daughter Brenda. Linda and Martin coached Special Olympics for over 20 years, and she helped found the Rockford Red Hots, a junior high / high school Special Olympics team. She coached Brenda in the Rockford adult Special Olympic team for basketball and track. Her women's basketball teams captured 6 state titles.

Linda spent countless hours as an unpaid volunteer with the Rockford Park District Therapeutic Recreation program in working with people with disabilities.  She assisted her sister Lorna working with people like Brenda and a broad cross section of Rockford disabled people.  This gave the participants meaning in a program where they could use and develop skills that would be useful to them in their lives,  She was very proud and happy to do this.

Linda was also an avid quilter and she enjoyed creating intricate patterns.  She never sold a quilt.  Every quilt she ever made was either donated for Special Olympics fundraisers or given away to family and friends.  If you ever see one of her quilts, it is easily identified by her unique label "Lurwood Bear Threads, Made with love by Linda Lurvey".  She also enjoyed very much going on an annual quilting bus tour.  On these she saw all the lower 48 states plus some of Canada.

Linda is survived by her mother (Olive) Jean Eales of Minocqua; husband Martin Lurvey of Columbus; daughter Brenda Lurvey of Columbus; sister Lorna Goralski of Columbus; two brothers Louis Goralski of Sun Prairie and Charles Goralski of Winnabow, NC; sisters-in-law Sue Lurvey of Portage and Marilyn (Otto) Panzenhagen of Appleton; brother-in-law Ernest (Jennifer) Lurvey of Marshfield; other relatives and friends. Linda is preceded in death by her father Louis; step-father Kenneth Eales; sister-in-law Joan Lurvey; and many others.

Linda's husband and her siblings and her mother are heartbroken over this devastating loss in their lives.  There is no replacement for her; she is already missed.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 A.M., with visitation beginning at 10:00 A.M., on Thursday, February 29, 2024 at JENSEN FUNERAL & CREMATION, 248 S. Ludington St, Columbus, WI. Rev. Chris Blevins will officiate. There will be a luncheon after service down the street at the Columbus Country Club.

Memorials may be directed to Rockford IL Special Olympics or Humane Animal Welfare Society (H.A.W.S.) in Waukesha.

We encourage you to share your online condolences with Linda's family at jensenfuneralandcremation.com