Linda Joleen (Isernhagen) Ferguson was born February 9th, 1948 in Smith Center, KS to Arnold and Aleen Isernhagen. Linda attended elementary school and junior high in Agra, KS. She attended high school and graduated from Kensington High School in Kensington, KS That is where she met Jon Ferguson who she married on August 11,1968.
After high school, Linda attended dental assistant school in Emporia, KS. Following her marriage to Jon, they made their home in Manhattan, KS while Jon finished his Engineering degree at Kansas State University. Following Jon’s graduation from K-State, the couple moved to Boston, MA where Jon attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Linda worked at Dr. Mann’s dental practice. Linda had many stories to tell about her time working in Boston. The best story that she told was how she worked on a man named Rick Otcasek’s teeth. At the time, Rick was the lead singer for a band called Milkwood. He would later change the spelling of his name and become Rick Ocasek, the lead singer for the Cars.
While living in Boston, Jon and Linda enjoyed the many activities the city had to offer. They also traveled throughout New England enjoying the beautiful scenery. Linda loved nature and all things outdoors.
In 1973, Jon and Linda made the decision to move back to Kensington, KS. They made their home north of Kensington, KS for 41 years while Jon worked and ran the family ranch and farm along with his sister and brother-in-law, Janis and Lyn Lee. Linda was every bit the “rancher” that Jon was. Linda cooked many meals for the ranch employees. She helped work cattle, sprayed musk thistle and ran countless ranch errands. In addition to the routine day-to-day ranching Linda did, she also played nurse whenever dad had a ranching accident. If you know anything about Jon’s ranch related injury count, you know that nursing was often a full-time job for Linda.
When Linda wasn’t busy ranching, she was busy being an amazing mother to her two daughters. Emily Brooke Ferguson was born on February 13th, 1975, and Olivia Paige (Ferguson) Rogers was born on January 31st, 1979. As a family, Jon, Linda, Emily and Oliva enjoyed family camping vacations to Colorado and the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone and Canada. (If you get a chance, ask Jon or Emily how the trip to Canada went.)
Linda was quite the “dance mom” shuttling Emily and Olivia to weekly dance lessons and making sure their costumes, hair and make-up were perfect for recitals. She was always there after each recital with a bouquet of carnations for both girls. Linda’s love and support for her daughters was unconditional and unending.
Love and support was a theme throughout Linda’s life. She was sometimes a second mom to nieces and nephews and Emily’s and Olivia’s closest friends. (Coleen & Jess). Linda had a kind heart and always wanted to help people who might be struggling. This is what led her to become a drug and alcohol counselor during the 1980’s. Linda made a difference by helping patients 1:1. She also sat on the board of the Smoky Hill Foundation in Hays, KS.