Linda Michelle Lewman Wilcox Linda passed away December 18, 2021 at her home in the Willow Creek area of Vale, Oregon. She was born February 2, 1970 in Caldwell, Idaho. Her biological parents were Brenda Lewman Olsen and Larry Wayne Maples. Linda was raised by Balie and Zilliah Lewman (Mom and Dad) from the Parma, Idaho area. Linda spent a large amount of time in her younger years in the Owyhee Mountains, rock hunting and gathering firewood with her parents and their friends, the Schultz family. Linda graduated from Parma High School in 1988 and attended TVCC after graduation, earning a Business Certificate. If there ever was a modern-day pioneer woman, that would be Linda. She loved farm life and driving trucks during harvest. She married Andy Wilcox on November 20, 2006 in Vale, Oregon and her true passion for farm life blossomed from that point on. She raised her own chickens, pigs, turkeys, and made butter, and homemade ice cream. She did not want food bought from the store, and so it was her way of feeding her family. She once said that she had no idea if she was a good gardener or not until fall, when she ate her organic chickens: “You have to eat the chickens in order to taste the garden, because they ate all of my plants.” Linda shared a similar bond for animal critters with her late father. Linda’s back yard lovingly resembled Old MacDonald's Farm, with goats, chickens, ducks, milk cows, turkeys and anything else that may need a warm place to sleep. Linda took pride in the fact that she annually produced 35-pound turkeys for the Holidays and that her hens laid enough daily, to supply the entire neighborhood with free-range eggs. She took on other jobs on the Wilcox farm and helped with the cattle, and the swathing and baling of the hay. It was a life she loved. But her biggest love was her two sons. J.J. (James) Franks and Robbie Wilcox. Those two out-shined all her other loves. She will be missed by many. Linda left us way too soon, but her struggle with cancer took such a toll on her body, it was just too much for her. She fought hard and struggled greatly at the end. She is survived by her husband Andy and her sons J.J. Franks and Robbie Wilcox; three half-sisters, Brandi Cox, Misti Palmer, Shilo Noyes; brother Balie (Bim) Lewman; uncles Steve and Russell Maples, aunt Carolyn Brafield; biological parents Brenda Lewman Olsen and Larry Wayne Maples, and multiple nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by Terry, Balie and Zilliah Lewman ( Mom and Dad); two uncles, Bill and Gary Maples; sister-in-law Linda Lewman, and a beloved cousin, Johnnie Maples, and all of her beloved pets. She will be cremated and buried in the Roswell Cemetery in Parma, next to Balie and Zillaih Lewman. A Celebration of Life will be held Jan 15, 2022 at the St. Patrick's Catholic Parish Hall in Vale, Oregon at Noon, with a dinner to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society in Linda’s name. Arrangements by Lienkaemper Chapel, Vale.
