Linda (Unmacht) Dobbe, 51

Linda (Unmacht) Dobbe, age 51, passed away on April 23, 2021, after a challenging battle with cancer. She felt a lot of love and support through prayers from family, many friends, and people she never met. She knew God listened and gave her time with family before walking her to His Eternal Home.

Linda was a Halloween baby born to Ronald and Phyllis (Walton) Unmacht in 1969. She had an older brother, David (Joan) Unmacht, whom Linda looked up to and valued for guidance. The birth of Linda’s younger sister, Debra (Robert) Prox, made Linda the “middle child”. Linda loved her sister dearly and enjoyed their long talks. Linda’s whole family had a lot of fun together on road trips to grandparents’ houses, camping trips in and out of Wisconsin, and listening to “Baby Elephant Walk” on the 8-track. Linda was thrilled when she later became an aunt. She truly enjoyed the personalities of her nieces and nephew on her side of the family- Ashley, Emily, and Grace Unmacht, and Ryan and Briana Prox.

Linda graduated from UW – Eau Claire in 1992. Her love of children led her to degrees in Special and Elementary Education. She taught children with Learning Disabilities for three years at Weston Elementary in the D.C. Everest School District. Linda dedicated her summers throughout college and her teaching years to the Wisconsin Lions Camp in Rosholt, serving children and adults with disabilities. The camp became her year-round career from 1995-2001.

In Rosholt of 1996, Linda met her best friend who became her husband, William Dobbe. They married on October 17, 1998. She not only fell in love with Bill but also became another daughter to his parents, Richard and Vivian (Elder) Dobbe, who both preceded her in death. She gained four wonderful sisters, Laura (Norman) Pavelski, Susan (David) Hall, Callie (Shawn) Shattuck, and Louise Grawey (boyfriend Joe). Linda was also a proud aunt to her nieces and nephews on Bill’s side of the family; Jim Pavelski (girlfriend Alice), Jackie (Adam) Sabatke (Pavelski), Zach Grawey (girlfriend Brianna), Sabrina Grawey, and Ranon Shattuck. She enjoyed watching Bill’s great-nieces and nephew play and grow from infancy on; Leslie, Corey, and Isabelle Sabatke, and Ember Grawey.

Linda and Bill became parents to two beautiful children through the births of Elizabeth in 1999 and Nicholas in 2001. Linda always dreamed of becoming a mom, and these two made every step of motherhood an amazing experience. Linda and Bill also became foster parents, which led to the adoption of two beautiful girls, Jackie in 2010 and Jordan in 2013. The court made Linda their parent, but her love for them made her their Mom. Throughout Linda’s cancer journey, her children supported her to be an even stronger Wonder Woman.

Linda and Bill fostered over 60 children in their home during their 16 years of fostering. Linda was a childcare provider, a pre-school teacher, worked in family and adoption support, provided respite care, and taught foster parenting classes. Linda was also a volunteer First Responder in her community for 24 years. Most recently, she worked for Marathon County Special Education in the Rosholt School District for four years. She was extremely proud of the students she worked with.

God blessed Linda with an amazing church family at Faith Lutheran Church in Rosholt. She shared her love of Christ with children by teaching Sunday School for over 16 years. Linda married Bill at this church, all four of her children were baptized at this church, and she had served this church in numerous roles for nearly 25 years.

Linda is survived by her loving husband, William, and her four children, Elizabeth (boyfriend Noah), Nicholas, Jackie, and Jordan. She is survived by her parents Ronald and Phyllis Unmacht, who were her inspiration as cancer survivors. She is also survived by her siblings, their spouses, and children, as well as her husband’s siblings, their spouses, and children. She joined her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Richard and Vivian Dobbe, in God’s Eternal Home, as well as her maternal and paternal grandparents.

Linda’s memorial service with her family will be held at Faith Lutheran Church, Rosholt on Saturday, May 1 at 1 p.m., including live-stream via Facebook Live (https:/www.facebook.com/FaithNorthNewHopeLutheranChurches) with committal rites at Alban Cemetery in Rosholt following the service.

The procession to the cemetery will start at 2 p.m. from the church via Main Street through downtown Rosholt and then on to the cemetery. There will be an outdoor visitation starting at 2:30 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church (with masks and social distancing) following the service and committal rites.

In lieu of flowers, Linda asked donations be made in support of her children to the Bill or Linda Dobbe donation account at Community First Bank, 275 Grand Ave. W, Rosholt, Wis., or to Faith Lutheran Church 253 S Main St., Rosholt, Wis.