Linda Carol Fales

Linda Carol (Cowdin) Fales, 81, of Overland Park, Kansas died Monday, June 2, 2025 at Silvercrest Deer Creek in Overland Park, Kansas.

She was born January 8, 1944 in Ottawa, Kansas the daughter of Bernard Lyle Cowdin and Hazel Marie (Lockwood) Cowdin. Linda spent her childhood and teenage years growing up in Ottawa and then moved to Topeka attending cosmetology school.

During her time in Topeka, she met Bob (Robert Garrett) and on April 10, 1965, they were united in marriage. Linda worked as a cosmetologist for several years at Pelletiers in Topeka, KS in her early years. 

Her and Bob together made a move to St. Louis, Missouri and she became a homemaker and her first daughter Maria was born.  After some time in St. Louis, Linda and Bob moved to Poteau, Oklahoma and she continued to spend her time as a homemaker.  After some time in Poteau her second daughter, Sandra was born.  As her girls got older she started working part time at Bridgman’s Furniture. She loved this job as she was surrounded by cool and unique decor!  Life and work for Bob and Linda took the family to Kansas and they lived for several years in Hesston.  While there Linda worked at a The Mixing Bowl, a wonderful bakery and then as a manager at Rohr Jewelry in Newton, Kansas.  After 25 years together Bob passed May 25, 1990.

Linda then married Gordon M. Fales on September 27, 1996 in Hesston, Kansas.  Soon after their marriage, Linda and Gordon moved to Riceville, Iowa and purchased the Riceville Recorder.  Together they owned this weekly newspaper for 5 years before selling and moving to Buna, Texas.  They then purchased the Buna Beacon, a weekly publication.  They owned this paper for several years before retiring again and moving to Ottawa, Kansas.  After 28 years of loving marriage, Gordon passed away November 8, 2024.

Linda was a master organizer.  Everything was always in its place and kept up.  She loved decorating, especially at Christmas time.  Her homes were always filled with decorations for the season. Linda’s love for design involved many remodeling projects and she loved decorating the interiors and working together to make a beautiful home.  Linda will be remembered for her quirky sense of humor.  She was always seeing if she could pull one over on a friend or family member.  One of her favorites was to snap a photo of you doing something silly and then she inevitably would slip the picture in a frame for a bathroom. 

Linda enjoyed travel, especially in retirement.  There were trips to Great Britain, Jamaica, cruises to Mexico, road trips to Michigan, Colorado, Georgia and many many places in between.One of Linda’s favorite trips was to Roswell, NM as she was a big alien enthusiast.  She also enjoyed antiquing and collecting cool and unique things.  Linda was a collector of giraffes, potato mashers, ice cream scoops, and seashells.  Most important to Linda was her family.  She loved her daughters dearly and was always grateful for the years she was able to stay home and raise them and love them.  She was also a thoughtful grandmother to each of her grandchildren.  She made sure to make each one feel loved and special!  

She was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel and Bernard Cowdin; her husbands, Robert Garrett and Gordon Fales; and a brother, Duane Cowdin.

She is survived by two daughters, Sandra Griffiths and her husband, David, of Overland Park, KS and Maria Dye and her husband, John, of Athens, GA; a sister, Kathy Lee of Ottawa, KS; a brother, Roger Cowdin and his wife, JoAnn, of Oregon; 9 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, and many extended family members.

Funeral Services will be 2:00 p.m., Saturday, June 7, 2025 at Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, 325 S. Hickory St, Ottawa, KS 66067.  Inurnment will follow at Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, KS.  Memorial contributions may be made to ACG Hospice and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

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