Linda Steger

Linda Steger, 78, passed away in her Bismarck home after a short battle with cancer on October 10, 2026.

Linda Beatrice Goffe was born March 3, 1948, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, as the fourth child of Hiram A. and Ruth (Marston) Goffe. The family moved to Jamestown, North Dakota, where she loved listening to her Grandpa Marston's stories, helping neighbors and working hard from a young age. After she graduated from Jamestown High School in 1966, she attended North Dakota State University, majoring in psychology, while working as a physical therapy assistant. In 1970, she married Franklin Steger at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church.

They resided on the Steger farm near Mooreton, North Dakota. Linda’s talents and work ethic were well used as a farmer’s wife. She grew amazing vegetables gardens, sharing the bounty with neighbors and the elderly. She would hoe the fields by hand, working through all types of weather. She was a talented artist and writer which were showcased with her recaps of church Christmas programs, as well as a competition level coupon user and bargain hunter.

Where she excelled was as a mother to Jannelle and Jeffrey. She attended all the games, plays and concerts. She helped with endless hours of homework. She found a knack for judging speech and debate where she helped countless young people with ballots that combined humor, grace and advice with no white space left on the page, even if she had to write the feedback in spirals.

When she and Frank separated in 1992, Linda moved to Fargo and opened her own cleaning business. She brought the same hard work ethic she instilled in her children to cleaning and had clients who have never had their house so clean since her. She also traveled extensively, including canoeing in the Boundary Waters, several trips to Europe and to China.

In 2009, her first grandchild Ashley was born, and she found a new purpose in showering them with attention, love and lots of their favorite foods. She got to enjoy Richland #44 activities for the second time watching Ashley, Ryan and Jason play ball and enjoy concerts. In 2022, she moved into the granny flat in Jannelle’s backyard in Bismarck, where Ian and Lily spent hours with Grandma, listening to her advice, enjoying her funny stories and being spoiled with ice cream cones. At both families’ homes, all their cats and dogs were fed and got premium massages. She especially loved spending time with chihuahua Daisy in the last few years.

Linda is survived by her children: Jannelle (Drew) Combs and their children Ian and Lily, and Jeffrey (Stephenie) Steger, and their children Ashley, Ryan and Jason. She is also survived by her siblings Stan (Esther) Goffe and Joan Wagner, and sister-in-law Carol Goffe as well as many loved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and by siblings Arthur Goffe and Robert Goffe, and sister-in-law Sandy Goffe.

Per her wishes, there will be no service. If you would like to remember Linda, a memorial gift can be sent to NDCF at PO Box 387, Bismarck, ND 58502 and write “Linda Steger Scholarship” in the memo line or online at https://tinyurl.com/48pcyetc. The scholarship will benefit North Dakota speech and debate students.