August 8, 2008
Father David W. Linnebur
Father Linnebur was born on July 9, 1954 in Wichita and was raised on a farm near Colwich, KS. He received his college degree from Benedictine College, Atchison, KS and did his seminary studies at St. Pius X Seminary, Erlanger, KY and Mount St. Mary Seminary, Emmitsburg, MD. Bishop Maloney ordained him for the Diocese of Wichita on May 15, 1982 at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Wichita. As an assistant he served at St. Mary Parish, Derby. From 1983 to 1987 he taught religion at Bishop Carroll High School, Wichita, and later was director of Religious Education and chairman of the Pastoral Care Department at the high school. As pastor he was assigned to St. Paul Newman Center, Wichita; Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, Newton; St. Joseph Parish, Conway Springs, with St. Martin Parish, Caldwell, added in 1998; and to St. Anthony Parish, Garden Plain, and St. Mary Parish, Aleppo. In 2007 he was named pastor of Christ the King Parish in Wichita; but, from July until November and after April of 2008, he was either in the hospital or living at the Priest Retirement Center battling cancer. During his priesthood he was dean of the Wellington Deanery and Spiritual Moderator of the Retrouvaille Movement. Father Linnebur died on August 8, 2008. Father Michael Peltzer remembered that, “Fr. Linnebur was devoted to the pro-life cause in the years he was in seminary and as a priest.” Father Stephen Baxter noted that, “Father Linnebur was heroic in his suffering. He kept a remarkable good spirit, and a sense of humor in spite of his illness. He had a spirit of joy and love in his heart.” (the Catholic Advance, Aug. 15, 2008) Bishop Jackels was principal celebrate of the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Wichita. Father Linnebur was buried in the Sacred Heart Parish Cemetery in Colwich.