Linda Jean Kutschat, later known as "Stevie" Gilland was born on February 27,1969 in South Weymouth, Massachusetts, and died on January 7, 2024 in Denton Texas.  Stevie is survived by her son, Daniel Alexander "Alex" Gilland, her husband, Daniel Jose Gilland, her parents, Ed & Mary Kutschat, her brothers and sister, Ed Kutschat, Mike Kutschat, and Cindy Jury, and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Stevie married Daniel Gilland on February 6, 1993, in Waukegan, Illinois.  She wanted everyone to know she was assassinated by diabetes, kidney failure, and heart failure, but mostly, what she called, "DIABEETUS." There is much people need to know about Stevie.  She wanted to keep her obituary "real," and not just write platitudes or make her look like a saint.  Stevie was not a saint, and she would be the first person to tell you that.

Stevie was fierce, and unapologetically devoted to her family and friends.  She was opinionated, but she would listen to arguments and could be persuaded to change her mind under the right circumstances.  She was described as mercurial, which initially bothered her, but she accepted this as part of who she was.  Some people felt like she was "a lot."  And you know what? She was.  Stevie was her own person, and people either accepted it, or they did not.  Stevie cared about her appearance and what people thought about her.  However, she always stood up for herself, which made her a strong and resilient woman.

When she was about five years old, Stevie filled out the book entitled "My Book About Me."  Children were encouraged to write about their hopes and dreams. In the book, Stevie wrote, "What I want to be more than anything is to be a mom."  That desire seemed unlikely after she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of twelve.  Stevie's doctors told her she would NEVER have a baby and would NOT live past the age of 40.  This prognosis colored her birthdays with sadness until her 40th birthday, which was a blowout celebration of her life.  Stevie's 40th birthday was her initial victory against diabetes and her doctors.

After finishing her schooling, Stevie began caring for young children.  Stevie met her husband, Dan, when she was working as a nanny in 1991.  When she first met Dan, Stevie was dating his roommate. (Ask Dan for details!) They married in 1993, and eventually Stevie decided she wanted to try working in the business world.  Stevie worked at Motorola, then Xerox.  She and Dan moved to Texas in 1996.  Despite her success in the business world, Stevie's heart told her she wanted to devote her life to nurturing children, so she quit her corporate job and began caring for kids.

In 1997, Stevie defied her doctors' predictions by giving birth to a miracle son, Alex, on May 6, 1997.  Stevie knew the pregnancy would take a toll on her, but she always felt it was the right decision.  She continued working as a nanny for a few months after Alex was born but decided it would be better for her to work from home.  She helped raise scores of children during her life.  These kids were like brothers and sisters for Alex and felt like biological children to Stevie.  The children and parents became like family. Stevie was really good with kids and helped teach them more than just numbers and letters.  She taught them kindness and how to be a good friend to others.  Raising children was Stevie's passion, and the kids she cared for felt her love from Day One.  She was called "Mom," "Miss Stevie," "Aunt Stevie," and many other terms of endearment, depending on the child.

Those who knew her knew that Stevie was competitive.  When she played a game, she played to win.  She won more often than she lost.  Stevie loved to travel, and her one regret was that she never got to see the northern lights in person. She visited friends and family whenever possible, and she stayed in touch with everyone no matter how far away.  Stevie remembered names, birthdays, anniversaries, and so many other things to maintain friendships.  She found out what people liked or loved and bought or created very thoughtful gifts.  Stevie loved crafts and was incredibly creative.  She participated in several craft fairs each year, taking pride in selling her items and basking in the compliments she received.

Stevie battled depression her whole life, and sometimes did not feel as loved as she really was.  She finally accepted and realized it in the last years of her life.  Stevie absolutely loved animals; otters were her favorite, but she had many cats, dogs, a ferret, and a corn snake as pets.  Two current cats, Henry & Norman, were devoted to Stevie and brought her a great deal of joy.  Stevie bred Pomeranians and was always a little heart-broken when she sold the puppies.  She was terribly heart-broken when any pet passed away.

She had heart surgery in March 2020 just as the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world.  Stevie never received proper rehabilitation services due to COVID restrictions, and her health declined.  Stevie tried not to think about her future after her "expiration date", but she made real, long-term plans for herself and Dan.  When she went into the hospital for the last time, she hugged Dan tightly, and said she was not ready to die.  She repeated that sentiment several times.

On Saturday January 6, 2024, after going through hell for a month, Stevie finally admitted she was ready to go.  Her doctors tried to get her transferred to a heart hospital, but those requests were denied. On her last day, Stevie went into cardiac arrest and was revived six times. This speaks to Stevie's strength, and her desire to stay with Dan and Alex, and to keep living.

Diabetes sucks.  Life is not fair.  Stevie and Dan had so much more to do, so much more life to live.  She wanted Dan to carry on without her and to be happy.  Stevie was not perfect, and she he did not pretend to be.  She was perfect for Dan though.  She lived life to the fullest and brought joy to a room when she came into it, and sometimes when she left.  Stevie will be fondly remembered by a lot of people.

From her loving husband, Dan:

"Rest in peace my beautiful missing puzzle piece, my pull-apart, my better/other half.  I love you with all my heart and soul to the moon and back."