Linda Dansie Dewey

Linda Dewey was a woman whose maternal arms reached far beyond her nuclear family–embracing everyone she met with sincere love and attention. 

Born December 19, 1960 to Ronald L Dansie and Elizabeth Dansie in Riverton, UT, she began running to embrace the world at 9 months. At an early age she showed a passion for the outdoors–riding horses, skiing (water and snow), hiking, and camping. She was rough and tumble, earning monthly visits to the ER and scars to prove it. As a middle child of five, she learned the value of hard work to support the family. Each day after school she cleaned house and made lunch for her two younger siblings while her mother and father both worked full time. No surprise, she was a Sterling Scholar in home economics. Before graduating high school she worked at a senior living center and created her own new position there: Activity Director, taking the seniors on outings in the area. 

She earned a B.A. in Education at Utah State University, and while there, met the love of her life and future husband, Alan Dewey. Together they raised three children: Clayton, Vernon, and Eleanor. As the family matriarch, it was one of her greatest points of pride how close knit they all remained throughout her life. While raising a family, she taught in Special Education, earning Teacher of the Year honors at Eaglecrest High School in Aurora, Colorado. Mrs. Dewey was one of those teachers that transformed lives, helping students reach a potential that no one else saw. Always extending her reach, she completed her Masters in Ed at the University of Northern Colorado and began teaching upcoming teachers as well. She was a real world supermom: raising kids, teaching full time, going to school, and always ready to swing a hammer or an axe with home improvement and landscaping projects.

Linda was a world traveler with a worldly heart, taking her to places such as Singapore, Australia, Ecuador, Turkey, and Norway. Her family began growing even before her children had children, welcoming in an exchange student from Macedonia and her children’s friends who came to know Mrs. Dewey as a second mom. As her children grew to adulthood, she welcomed in their spouses and five grandchildren. 

As her children left the nest, Linda dedicated herself even more towards volunteerism and supporting family. She helped found a non-profit for young adults with autism, Zach’s Place, regularly contacted elected representatives, led various women’s groups for over two decades, and most recently volunteered at Color Country Animal Welfare, Capitol Reef National Park, and The Entrada Institute. She also found a love in yoga, becoming a certified teacher. She found particular joy in leading seniors in yoga as well as members of the general community. She made regular visits to Riverton to spend time with her parents, especially for monthly “Quilt Day” with her mom’s quilting group.

She made friends wherever she went that spanned age, creed, ethnicity, race, class, politics, sexual orientation, and gender identity. It seemed she was always working on something for someone: quilting a wedding present, sending a care package, rallying support for an acquaintance battling cancer, donating to a cause, incessantly calling a senator to help bring her sister home when she was stuck in China during the pandemic.

The family hopes that Linda’s legacy of compassion and generosity may live on in every act of kindness, in every act of love.

Linda Dewey is survived by her husband Alan Dewey, her children Clayton Dewey, Vernon Dewey, and Eleanor Dewey, grandchildren Obsidian Nichols, Ember Nichols-Dewey, Cam Nichols-Dewey, Kai Hsieh-Dewey, and Meilin Hsieh-Dewey, parents Ron and Liz Dansie, and siblings Kyle Dansie, Laura Bundy, Allison Dansie, and Clinton Dansie. 

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Color Country Animal Welfare, www.colorcountryanimalwelfare.org.

Private services have been held.