Linda Louise Mackelden

Linda Louise Mackelden, 65, died peacefully April 24 at 5:10 p.m. at Alton Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. She was born March 20, 1950 in Hartford, and was one of six children born to the late Donald and Ethel (Thomas) Price. Linda attended Bethalto Community High School. On January 29, 1972 she married the love of her life, Fred Mackelden. Together Fred and Linda raised three children who loved and adored their mother. Surviving are Shannon (Jeff) Fraley, Susan (Chris) Cameron and Daniel (Meleea) Mackelden. Linda was blessed with five grandchildren and a sixth expected in November. Collin and Caleb Fraley, Ashley and Lindsey Cameron and Abigail Mackelden were all her pride and joy and they will miss their “Nana” beyond measure. Rarely did she miss a game or activity, and the kids knew she was in the stands, they could hear her rooting them on and they could see her sporting their team shirts in the stands. Linda’s job in life by choice was to care for her family and make them her top priority. Later, once that job was done she worked as a cook in the Southwestern School District before retiring in 2012. Linda spent much of her time traveling near and far with her husband and travel buddies, (sister in-law and brother in-law) Bev and Cathy Wallace. Sometimes their trips were ones they had planned for years like a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands, or the Bahamas while others just popped up overnight. It would not be uncommon for their children to get a call from them saying “We’re leaving in the morning, see you when we get back!” Linda enjoyed watching sports of all kinds. She was an avid Cardinal baseball fan, she would even make fun wagers with her grandsons about an occasional Nascar race. She enjoyed partaking in lady luck by dropping in at the various casinos in the area -- especially since she knew it drove her daughters crazy! Linda is survived by her husband and children as well as her siblings: George Price, Donna (Ed) Phillips, Debbie (Brad) Elledge, Pam (Mike) Goulette and Donald Price, Jr. Her brothers and sister in laws: John (Carmen) Mackelden, Cathy (Bev) Wallace, Sharon (Bob) Schoeber, Jesse (Joan) Mackelden and Charles Mackelden and his companion Sue Kelly. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her in-laws John and Nellie Mackelden as well as a nephew, Bradley Jones. The family would like to name Alton Memorial’s Hospice as the memorial of choice. The care and compassion the hospice and 3MU staff showed our loved one was beyond compare and we will forever be grateful to them. She may be gone from this world but we are at peace knowing she is in the hands of our heavenly Father and will be looking over us, until we meet again. In the words of our mom “Love your family and friends…because you just never know.” She was kind and wise beyond words. Visitation will be from 4:00-8:00 p.m. on Monday, April 27, 2015 at Gent Funeral Home in Alton, where funeral service will be at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2015. She will be laid to rest at Grimes Cemetery in Jerseyville. PDF Printable Version

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Linda Louise Mackelden

March 20, 1950 - April 24, 2015