Phyllis Linder

Phyllis Linder, of rural Plummer passed away at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND on Sunday, February 1, 2026 with her loving family by her side.

Funeral Service to celebrate Phyllis life will be 10:00 AM on Monday, February 9, 2026 at Salem Lutheran Church, rural Oklee, MN with Lindi Christianson officiating. Burial will follow at Salem Lutheran Cemetery, Oklee, MN.

Visitation will be at Johnson Funeral Service, Thief River Falls, MN on Sunday, February 8, 2026, starting at 4:00 PM with a prayer service at 6:00 PM, and one hour prior to the service at the church.

Phyllis Mae Linder was born on July 14, 1943, daughter of David and Florence (Tangquist) Drotts in Thief River Falls, MN. She was baptized and confirmed as an adult at Evangelical Covenant Church, Thief River Falls, MN. She graduated from Lincoln High School with the Class of 1961. She attended Bemidji State College (Bemidji State University) for 1 ½ years until she met the love of her life Orrin Linder.

She married Orrin on December 26, 1965 at Evangelical Covenant Church, Thief River Falls, MN. To this union four children were born, Ted, Marcia, Jennifer, and Ann. Phyllis worked at Northwestern Bell as a phone operator, Plummer School, and retired from Digi-Key after working there for 25 years: Phyllis enjoyed working with “her girls” at Digi-Key. She was an Avon Lady for many years with many trophies to prove it. Phyllis was hardworking, had a quick wit about her and made everyone around her feel like they had known her their entire life. She was always willing to give a helping hand.

Phyllis loved a good book, gardening, lawn mowing and the occasional shopping trip which usually took longer than it should, because of all of her friends. She was the youth leader at the local Farmers Union of Oklee, MN, and a member of Salem Lutheran Church, rural Oklee, MN, acting as Superintendent of the Sunday school, teaching Sunday school, part of the lady’s aide, she was also a part of Lutheran Church Basement Women and serving in several other offices. She enjoyed a good visit and a cup of coffee. Most of all she loved and cherished the time spent with her grandchildren.

Phyllis is survived by her loving husband, Orrin of (60 years); children, Ted (Jenny) Linder, Plummer, MN, Marcia (Scott) Peterson, Thief River Falls, MN, Jenny (Mark) Davis, Thief River Falls, MN, Ann (Ryan) Ulrich, Thief River Falls, MN; grandchildren, Alyssa (Marc) Walter, Hailey (Sydney) Robertson, Luke Peterson, Sophia Linder, Josie, Jake, and Lincoln Davis, Maggie and Gus Ulrich; great grandchildren, Isla and Levi Walter; sisters-in-law, Jean Drotts and Jane Kolstoe; several nieces and nephews; and special friend Diane Kolstoe.

She is preceded by her parents, David & Florence Drotts, sisters, Evonne Stenberg and Carol Woetzel; brothers, Wallace Drotts & Lowell Drotts; sister-in-law, Marilyn Drotts; brothers-in-law, John Kolstoe and Conrad Woetzel.