LAYLIN, Linda Diane (McConnelee, McCausland) 1947-2020

LAYLIN, MCCAUSLAND, WATSON, MCCONNELEE

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 9/22/2020 at 17:14:52

Linda D. McCausland Laylin

Biography--

Linda Diane McCausland Laylin, avid golfer, Hawkeye fan, and beloved educator in the Waterloo Community Schools for over 25 years, died suddenly of a heart attack on Saturday, September 19 at MercyOne Waterloo Medical Center. She was the most incredible wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandma, friend, teacher, volunteer, and all-around wonderful lady. Her passing brings tremendous shock and heartache to all who were lucky to know and love her. Through sadness and tears, we will share photographs, stories, and memories that will help bring smiles and laughs while we grieve our loss.

Linda was born May 9, 1947 in Atlantic, Iowa, daughter of Ronald and Joyce Watson McConnelee. She was an accomplished high school golfer and enjoyed traveling around the state competing in tournaments with her teammates, including the State Tournament. She attended The University of Iowa, was a Chi Omega Sorority member, and received her Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1969. She was fascinated by the culture, diversity, and university life in Iowa City after growing up in Atlantic.

Over the years, Linda’s competitive nature never faded. She continued the sport of golf her entire life, even dropping her handicap to as low as four, competing strong in the Iowa State Amateur Tournament, winning the Sunnyside Club Championship numerous times, becoming the first female winning Calcutta Team Captain, and amassing three hole-in-ones! In her words, “Once you get one, you kind of get in the flow!” Her family and golfing buddies will grind it out with her voice in their heads for years to come trying to catch up! In addition to golf, Linda rode RAGBRAI with her girlfriends many years, played racquetball, and faithfully cheered for the Hawkeyes her entire life.

A marriage to Walter “Mac” McCausland and a move to Waterloo soon followed where she served students at Westridge Elementary beginning in 1970. Upon the arrival of her children, Amy and Kent, Linda took a short break from the schools and enjoyed many fun memories of volunteering in the community and neighborhood gatherings with other moms and kiddos. In 1985, she received her Master of Arts in School Library Studies from The University of Northern Iowa. She then returned to education at Kingsley Elementary and Hoover Middle School, retiring in 2007. She was fondly and vividly remembered by decades of students as “Mrs. MooCowsland,” as she would display stuffed animal cows to help them pronounce her last name. Her and Mac divorced after 25 years of marriage, and they remained friendly and actively involved in the celebrations, activities, and precious moments of the lives of their children and grandchildren.

Linda then met and married William “Bill” Laylin, and they wed in 1997. Bill and Linda had a ball together! They golfed hundreds of rounds together, competed in many events at Sunnyside Country Club, and took lessons with the best golf pros in Iowa and Arizona. It was a love language for them and where they spent so many fun hours golfing together with close friends and family. They loved their golf adventures in Pauma Valley with her sister, Connie and Doak Jacoway. They even had a long-running Annual CowTown Classic golf tournament with Kent and Traci where they battled it out on the course and then enjoyed BBQ together, no matter who claimed the cow trophy.

The Laylins were involved in a Gourmet Group with close friends, including creative themed invitations, innovative menus, and many toasts! Their retirement years took them to Sun Lakes, Arizona, during the cold Iowa winters where they loved gathering with Waterloo snowbirds at “Carver South” to cheer on the Hawks for all the basketball games. They treasured their visits to the Twin Cities and Brainard to spend time with Mark, Michelle, and the grandkids.

Linda was actively involved in many local organizations and social groups in her community. She was one of the original board members for the Green Scene and loved gardening and shopping the farmers markets. She was also a PEO and Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls member. Additionally, she was on the board of the Iowa Women’s Golf Association and very active in the Sunnyside Ladies Golf Association. She also served as the Treasurer for her condo association and loved her neighbors and conversations had while walking Abbie and Punky, her and Bill’s two rescue puppies in the last two years. She co-hosted an annual festive Christmas party with her golfing girlfriends, Cindy Reinertsen and Flo Schall.

Linda loved to entertain, was an incredible cook, and was the perfect hostess! A vacation to France was a trip of a lifetime for her, given her love of food, wine, and her girlfriends. Her BUNCO group was nearly a religious event as she loved every minute spent with these ladies! Linda could often be found at Panera in Waterloo with her two coffee groups of retired friends from Hoover and her golfing girls. She was a delight to engage with, a tremendous listener, and always left people with a good feeling after a chat. She was a calm, confident, loyal, and resilient friend.

Most of all, Linda loved the time she spent with her family. She followed her children all around the state and country for their activities. She loved attending musicals, summer band concerts, cantatas, bowling tournaments, violin recitals, and theater productions with the Greve Family. She also delighted in lunch dates, Diet Pepsi afternoons, and shopping trips with Amy and Jenna. Linda loved sports and never missed Kent’s basketball games, including many hours behind the video camera catching game film on VCR tapes!

Additionally, she loved watching the grandkids golf, play baseball, basketball, and spend time with her puppies. She had many wonderful traditions with all her grandchildren including the “Gold Bug Book,” making gingerbread houses at Christmas, ping pong games, puzzles, and bubbles. She was an avid reader, a tough card game competitor, and took the “Annual Christmas Dice Game” very seriously.

Linda is survived by her husband, Bill Laylin of Waterloo; her two children, Amy (Ryan) Greve and Kent (Traci) McCausland, all of Waterloo; her step-children, Mark Laylin and Michelle (George) Meyer; and seven grandchildren: Michael and Jenna Greve, Jay and Casey McCausland, Sydney and Luke Laylin, and Madison Arens. She is also survived by her sister, Connie (Doak) Jacoway of Greenwood Village, CO; nephew Pierce (Jen) Jacoway and niece Hilary (Daniel) Maxwell and three great nieces and nephews: Cooper and Griffin Jacoway and Nylah Maxwell. She also had treasured times with many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her and Bill’s rescue puppy, Abbie.

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Services:
An outdoor Celebration of Life will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 26 at Sunnyside Country Club, 1600 Olympic Drive in Waterloo. Casual, golf, or Hawkeye attire is encouraged!

The family encourages masks and will work to honor social distancing preferences.

Cemetery:
Private Burial at Waterloo Memorial Park Cemetery.

Memorials:
In Lieu of Flowers, the family suggests that memorial gifts be made to the Cedar Bend Humane Society or the Waterloo Schools Foundation to be used toward reading, books, and literacy programs.

SOURCE: Locke funeral home website