Linda Rogers McGehee

Linda Rogers McGehee, born June 9, 1941, died ........April 28, 2025

Born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Linda spent part of her childhood in Mount Olive before making her home in Jackson, where she lived most of her adult life with 30 cherished years in Northeast Jackson. In her later years she lived and thrived at Rosegate, the home she and her husband Leo designed and built on a lake outside Florence, Mississippi.

Our mother was a dichotomy. She was a good cook and loved setting a pretty table, but she did tend to get distracted. “The smoke alarm went off; supper must be ready” was a common family joke.

She never learned to spell correctly but wrote a book that made it as far as acquisition at not one but two well-known publishers. Shadow on the Rainbow was published in 2002. Mama enjoyed writing and also had numerous published magazine articles. She served on the worship committee at her beloved church, Northminster where she was a member over 45 years. She adored writing the liturgy and other writings when asked.

Shy on the surface, she was asked to be the primary speaker at six different funerals across three different denominations. She would say, “I do love a microphone.” She spoke with poise and deep caring for the people she honored.

She married Leo in 1959 when she was a senior in high school, and he was a senior at Mississippi State. They were married for 53 years until his death in 2011. Mama was a great mom who often teased us three boys “you should be glad you have a unique mama, not some boring ordinary, everyday mother.” She was all-in for fun and adventure with dad and with us. “Dad would let us play all we wanted to, but mama would get down on the floor and play with us when we were small”, says Clay.

Mother’s own mother died when she was five years old. However, she adapted to her new home with her oldest sister, Merle and lovingly called her mama all her life. Merle’s daughter, Donna Dickson Harding and she grew up together and loved each other as sisters. Mama was the baby in her own family having three other siblings including Merle McGehee, Gerry Lee and Peter Rogers.

Self-educated, she turned a hobby into an exciting landscape design career of over 30 years. A career that was almost derailed by complaining competitors. Told she needed a license to work in the field and didn’t qualify to take the State exam, mama bypassed the rules by obtaining letters of praise for her work from her extensive customer list. She was granted permission to take the exam, passed, and formed Unique Landscape Designs. Gathering clients by referral (she never advertised), her work included residential and commercial projects across MS, LA, and TN. Many of her projects were published in magazines including one issue of Mississippi Magazine that featured three of her designs. Her larger-than-life sized Christmas figures known as “the children” were a yearly spectacle featured on the local print and TV news. She enjoyed landscaping but grew to love and favor hardscape designing many courtyards, swimming pools, pool houses, and deck projects. While her gardening license likely didn’t include hardscaping, Mother respected rules but was no blind rule follower; she used her full potential.

In her younger days she helped raise funds for many local and statewide philanthropies. Mama felt the years she spent as a volunteer, visiting children hospitalized with Leukemia at UMC and helping their families, were the most meaningful efforts on her part. “I never dreamed I could handle being with a child so ill, but I realized these kids were so beautiful and strong. I couldn’t imagine not volunteering.” She was honored with the Goodwill Salute for her Volunteer work and was selected as chairman, overseeing the Candlelighters Art Auction for many years, raising extensive funds for children with cancer in Mississippi.

Mother adored people and enjoyed being a good friend. She collected what she called “characters, my favorite kind of folks.” Friendships, family, growing flowers, writing and living life large were her favorite things about life.

She retired from Unique Landscape Designs so she and Leo could develop a beautiful piece of land with the intent to build a lake and weekend house. Using hand tools and “His” and “Her” tractors, they cleared the land including a home site and room for a twelve acre lake. “It was hard, hot work. We thought we were having fun.” As they fell in love with their land, the project grew from a 30 by 30 log cabin to a 4700 square foot concrete and brick 2 story house.

Her beloved Leo unexpectedly died three years after they moved into the new home.

Devastated, but determined to reinvent Herself mother told us, “Your father was the rock in my world. But I’m not going to be one of those wives that dies the year after they lose their mate. Don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything foolish”. Scott told mama, “Go on mother, do something foolish.”

When Scott and Teri’s daughter and mama’s only granddaughter Melissa married at Rosegate in 2013, her caterer/florist took one look at the land, house and lake and told mama “You’ve got to use Rosegate for a wedding venue. It’s perfect!”

At 72 Mother opened Rosegate Venue, allowing a limited number of weddings each year. It proved to be highly successful sideline business, which gave Mama a new way to bring lots of people into her world while creating and maintaining beautiful gardens at Rosegate. She loved creating happy memories for many brides and grooms, as well as the bond she developed with Susie Morgan, one of the premier “Characters” in her life. She enjoyed posting photos of the weddings.

“I plan to die happy but exhausted.”

Linda is survived by her three sons, Scott (Teri), Michael (Joo Lee), and Clay (Stephanie); grandchildren William (Lauren Aycock), Melissa McGehee (Evan Bates), and Davis McGehee; and four great-grandchildren, Aria, Leo, Robin, and Arthur, her niece (sister) Donna Harding, her grandniece Sabrina, her brother Peter Rogers and sister Gerry Lee, and numerous friends, each a character worthy of love.

Needless to say, Mama was wild about all of them. “I’m a mighty lucky gal.”

A service for Linda will be held at 1pm, Tuesday 5/6/25 at Northminister Baptist Church with inurnment in the Northminster Columbarium to follow. The family also invites guests to join them for a reception in the Great Hall following the inurnment.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to UMMC Children’s of Mississippi or to Scouting Family Pack 85 of Florence.