Appleton - Appleton, WI – Linda Alice Foght McKee Lewis, 84, died peacefully in her sleep after a short illness on November 19, 2021. Linda was born to Paul Robbins and Lydia Dagmar (nee Hendrickson) Foght in Minneapolis on January 10, 1937. Linda grew up in Minneapolis and later Kenosha, WI. She graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School in 1954 and followed in her father's footsteps by attending the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. Linda was a proud member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and stayed active in the organization for most of her life. After graduating with a degree in elementary education in 1958, Linda and Donald McKee were married and moved to Nebraska, where Don completed his medical school education. The McKees later moved to Alaska, before settling in La Crosse, WI, and then Appleton in 1973. In 1976, Linda and her brother established Creative Products News, a craft trade magazine. They made it an enormous success, putting out the monthly publication for 14 years, before selling it in 1990. The venture employed many people and organized textile factory trips throughout Europe. Linda had many interests and many talents. She was a voracious reader, enjoying categories as diverse as classic literature and romance novels. She had a beautiful soprano voice and as a young women sang in various choirs. As a young mother, she often sang while at the piano or while preparing dinner for her family. Linda was also a skilled crafter, creating beautiful quilts, afghans, Christmas stockings, dolls, Barbie Doll clothing, and embroidered wall hangings. She will be remembered lovingly each winter for the beautiful Green Bay Packers-themed scarves, mittens, hats and potholders she created and gave her children for Christmas. Although Linda left us before any great grandchildren were born, she knit more than a dozen beautiful baby blankets for the ones she knew would come along someday. Linda loved Wisconsin - the Packers, Appleton's Performing Arts Center, the Post-Crescent, Woodman's, even the winters. She was preceded in death by her parents, her loving husband Malcolm Lewis, and her brother Paul Foght. She will be remembered by her survivors, sons David (Marie-Laure) and Dan (Fiona) McKee, of Duluth, MN; and her daughter, Laura McKee Welp, of Stillwater, MN. Linda is also survived by her grandchildren, Tyvand McKee, of Valencia, Spain; Camille McKee, of Sydney, Australia; Charlotte McKee, of Paris, France; Alexanne McKee, of St. Paul; Killian McKee of St. Louis, MO; Kellyn McKee of Williamsburg, VA; Isabelle Welp of Burnsville, MN; and Emily Welp of Minneapolis. Linda is further survived by her niece Robin (Bruce) Briney, and nephews Eric (Leona) Foght and Jamieson (Jamie) Foght. Finally, Linda is survived by many friends, including her dearest friend of 48 years, Marie Liddell. Linda's life will be honored at a memorial service at 350 Main Street North, Stillwater, MN, on January 8. She will be interred in Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis. Please contact family members for more details.

Posted online Thursday, 2 December 2021 •• Published in The Post-Crescent • Appleton, Wisconsin