Linnea Elaine Friend, 66, of Burrton, KS, passed away Wednesday, August 7, 2024 at Ascension,St. Francis , Wichita, Kansas.
Linnea was born in McPherson, Kansas on November 26, 1957, a daughter of Floyd B. and Eloise (Engel) Hjerpe.
Linnea attended Lincoln grade school, Park School, McPherson Junior High and graduated from McPherson HIgh School, McPherson, Ks. in 1975. She then attended Academy of Hair Design, Salina, KS.
"To say I was lucky to have such a strong, independent, beautiful, stubborn, loving mother is an understatement." -Maisie Smalling
Those that knew Linnea knew her to be full of fun, joy and love. Her humor was unmatched. It was dark and slightly twisted. She had the mouth of a sailor and she always said what was on her mind. She never let her MS define her. She was diagnosed with MS in the early 80's and gave it a helluva run. It wasn't until recently that she changed her motto to "I guess MS has me now." When her body finally started giving in to the MS, it started with her walking with an unsteady gait, then slowly adding a cane wrapped in bright scarves, sometimes wearing boots with braces, and finally giving in to a wheelchair. She almost always had a smile (while her two sisters quite often had resting bitch faces) even when she didn't feel good. She could make her sisters crazy sometimes, just because she always had those rose tinted glasses on and so many times lived for the moment. She definitely wasn't the responsible one in the family, but it's only because she was too busy living in the moment. From parties at Studio 54, the Grease Premier (as Dennis Stewart's date), and working with Warren in a LA Salon as the receptionist, meeting all the people she could from Cher to Florence Henderson. To creating a family of clients and fellow cosmetologists back home in McPherson. Red carpet or not she was able to make friends where ever she went. She loved music, dancing, running and gardening and could often be found outside, in a flower bed, digging in dirt.
Linnea and Kim continued to live life to the fullest and because of him she was able to keep traveling to new places and see the world. He took her from New York, Canada all the way to Mexico and back.
The trip her and Maisie took to Bali was always one she loved to talk about, really it was to give Maisie a hard time for not finishing the "hash hash run" and missing out on the party at the end. She really loved to travel and she loved her life despite her disease.
She loved her Austin family, her Puddle family and her extended Engel Family, she always talked about how loved you all made her feel. To know her, was to love her and she was SO loved.
We lost Linnea Friend August 7th, 2024 at 10:02 pm. She died in her daughters arms surrounded by love and family.
She is survived by her daughter Maisie Smalling (Tom), of Hutchinson, KS; sisters, Lorraine Erickson (Steve), of McPherson, KS and Cecilia Cunnick (Paul), of McPherson, KS.; significant other, Kim Wagner, of Burrton, KS; brother in law Kurtis Wagner (Karol), of McPherson, KS and nephew Wylie Shearhart, of Kansas City, MO.; other relatives and a host of friends.
Linnea was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Warren Hjerpe.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM on Friday, September 20, 2024 at Glidden-Ediger-Wiggins Chapel in McPherson, KS.
Celebration of Life service will be held 12:00 PM on Saturday, September 21, 2024 at Pete's Puddle in Burrton, KS.
Memorial contributions may be made to Elton John AIDS Foundation and they can be sent to Glidden-Ediger-Wiggins Funeral Home; 222 W. Euclid St., McPherson, KS. 67460.