Linda DeMann, age 69, of Northfield, passed away Thursday, February 17, 2022, in Northfield.
Linda was born October 26, 1952, to Stanley and Lois (Carlson) Kodada in New Prague, Minnesota. The family made their home near Webster and Linda attended and graduated from Northfield High School in 1970. She was united in marriage to James Freeman on November 7, 1970. The couple had three children, Lisa, Jason and Lindsey. The family made their home in Northfield, where Linda worked for Malt O'Meal. She then began a home daycare in 1985 with her sister-in-law Chris Kodada. After the couple divorced, Linda was married to Jerry DeMann, with whom she had three children, Troy, Leah, and Lizabeth. Following the dissolution of her relationship with Jerry, Linda found a true partner and the love of her life, Tom Pumper.
Tom and Linda spent 30 years watching their children grow into wonderful parents. They enjoyed spending many late nights together, laughing with friends and relatives around the bonfire, or often dancing the night away to country music. Their many trips to Mexico were where Linda found true relaxation, with the sunlight on her face and her feet in the Caribbean Sea.
Linda took great pride in watching her grandchildren grow, attending their many events at church and school. Unfortunately, Linda was not great at whispering, and boasting about her grandkids would often garner a "shhh" from nearby.
Her home was full of love and family. Never one to shy away from cooking a meal for a couple dozen, Linda would somehow pull it off on every occasion, with leftovers, to boot. She loved having a full house at holidays with the sound of laughter bouncing off the walls as she prepared the meal.
Summertime was the time for Linda to take her family on a yearly retreat to LeMieux's Resort on nearby Cedar Lake. Her children and grandchildren would descend on the cabin for a week every August, swimming, eating junk food, and staying up way too late around the campfire. Linda loved every bit of it. She taught the grandkids how to set a hook, catch, and prepare fish.
Linda's daycare was where her passion lay, where she continued to care for children until as recently as a couple weeks ago. She took in her daycare kids as if they were her own. Many refer to her as "Grandma Linda".
Linda was a woman of Faith and active at Trinity Lutheran Church. You would often find her in the fellowship hall serving coffee and her baked goods with Tom.
She is survived by her children Lisa (Jim) Buxcel, Jason (Sara) Freeman, Lindsey (Jeff) Downs, Troy DeMann (Alexia Fletcher), Leah DeMann, Lizabeth DeMann (Scott Sannes) all of Northfield, Trace Pumper of St. Paul, Danny Pumper of Dundas, Trevor (Lisa) Pumper of Waterford; 19 grandchildren; her siblings Steve (Debbie) Kodada of New Ulm, Stan (Genia) Kodada of Fort White, Florida, Sandra (John) Wingenbach of Northfield, Paul (Chris) Kodada of Cannon Falls; her longtime companion Tom Pumper; and many nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sister Barb; and two nephews, Clayton Kodada and Zac Pumper.
Funeral services will be at Trinity Lutheran Church in Northfield on Saturday, February 26, 2022, at 11:00 AM. Visitation will be at Bierman Funeral Home on Friday, February 25, 2022, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM and one hour prior to the service in the church. Burial will be at Oaklawn Cemetery in Northfield. Arrangements by Bierman Funeral Home and Crematory. biermanfuneralhome.com.
Linda DeMann, 69
