Linda Rae Woods, 75, of Columbus, Nebraska, died Tuesday, December 31, 2024, at CountryHouse in Lincoln, Nebraska, with her children Kelli and Kevin by her side.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at 10:30 AM at Gass Haney Funeral Home with Father Ranil Weerackoon officiating. Visitation will be on Saturday, from 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM, with a Rosary service at 10:00 AM, all at the funeral home. Interment will be in All Saints Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the family, or to the donor's choice. The rosary service and funeral service will be broadcast live on the Gass Haney Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057043736890

Linda Rae (Kohmetscher) Woods was born on April 5, 1949, in Hastings, Nebraska to Reynold and Eileen "Bobbie" (Theer) Kohmetscher. She grew up on a farm near Lawrence, Nebraska. Linda graduated from Lawrence High School in 1967. She moved to Omaha and lived in Creighton Working Girls Home, where she met her dearest friend Phyllis (Randall) McDonald. Linda worked at Mutual of Omaha and was an excellent typist and early user of IBM typewriter machines, so skilled she could run two machines at once. Linda met her husband Douglas "Doug" Woods in Omaha and on May 27, 1972 and they were united in marriage at Sacred Heart Church in Lawrence, Nebraska.

The couple moved to Platte Center, Nebraska in 1975, and to Columbus in 1979 with their two children, Kelli and Kevin. Linda provided tremendous care and support to her family as a homemaker while the kids were in elementary school. She also spent many years as a full-time babysitter, welcoming children into the Woods' home and caring for them alongside her own family. Later, Linda worked at One Hour Martinizing and then at Valentino's, where she loved socializing with co-workers and customers up until her retirement.

Linda and her husband Doug were inseparable until his death on February 11, 2024. They went on many adventures by plane (though she hated flying!), car, and boat (particularly a cherished cruise to the Bahamas on their 25th anniversary; and decades later a cruise to Alaska). Doug and Linda went on countless road trips to wineries in the Midwest, and to Lincoln to cheer on Husker volleyball, football, baseball, and softball; and to spend time with Kelli and Kevin.

Linda, Doug, Kelli, and Kevin spent countless hours competing in family favorite games like Scrabble, Upwords, and Bones. Good-natured but heated competition to answer the most questions correctly while watching Jeopardy, to solve the Wheel of Fortune puzzles, place the closest bid during Price is Right, and to be the first to figure out the Daily Word Jumble were constant at home.

Christmas music filled the house as early as October if Linda could get away with it and was a constant during the holiday season. She loved Hallmark Christmas movies, baked countless delectable Christmas treats for family to enjoy, and loved collecting Christmas ornaments on her travels. She held steadfast to her "rules" that Santa decorations had to "look like the real Santa" (i.e., a twinkle in the eye and a traditional red and white outfit and Santa hat) and that snowman ornaments dare not have animals, particularly red cardinals on them! It was truly a joy to surprise her with an ornament that she cherished. A beautiful bedecked Christmas tree and truly decked halls made the Woods' home cozy, loving, and festive throughout the holidays.

Music continued to be a love of Linda's throughout her life, cherishing the soundtrack to Dirty Dancing (a favorite movie, which makes her children chuckle) that Doug bought her on CD so they could listen on their road trips. Listening to music in the car, at home, or anywhere with Linda was a joy. After her move in 2024 to CountryHouse in Lincoln, Kelli and Kevin enjoyed playing her favorite CDs with her, taking her to see live musical performances (and Price is Right Live!), and of course, listening to music whenever they drove her around town.

Linda loved to laugh and radiated positivity, holding on to a sense of joy even in life's most challenging chapters.

Linda is survived by:
Daughter: Kelli Woods of Lincoln, NE
Son: Kevin Woods of Lincoln, NE
Brothers and sisters: Dick and Marge Kohmetscher of Lawrence, NE; Clyde and Susan (Kohmetscher) Schulte of Omaha, NE; Dale and Julie (Kohmetscher) Bonifas of Juanita, NE; Carl Kohmetscher of Hastings, NE; Paul and Michelle Kohmetscher of Lawrence, NE; and Kevin and Jane (Kohmetscher) Bruntz of Hastings, NE
Brother and sister-in-law: Roger and Marie Woods of Norwood, MA
Many nieces and nephews and several great nieces and nephews

Linda was preceded in death by:
Her beloved husband: Doug Woods
Parents: Reynold and Eileen "Bobbie" (Theer) Kohmetscher
Parents-in-law: Clarence and Jeanne (Privey) Woods
Nephew: Lucas Kohmetscher
Sister-in-law OkHa Kohmetscher

Notes of condolence may be sent to:

Kelli Woods
6843 S 90th St
Lincoln, NE 68526

Kevin Woods
2035 N 28th St
Apt. 104
Lincoln, NE 68503