September 12, 2017
Father Leroy Linnebur
Father Leroy Linnebur was born on a farm near Colwich on July 24, 1932, to Bill and Alvine Linnebur. He attended grade school in Colwich and high school in Andale. After graduating, he helped his parents raise cattle for a couple of years, and then decided to begin studying for the priesthood. Father Linnebur attended the North American College in Rome, Italy, and was ordained a priest at St. Peter's Basilica in 1961. He served as an assistant at St. Patrick Parish, Kingman; All Saints and Magdalen in Wichita; and at Sacred Heart in Frontenac after his ordination. Father Linnebur was assigned to St. Mary High School in Pittsburg in 1966 and two years later to Trinity High School in Hutchinson. In 1970 he served as administrator of Holy Trinity, Little River, while continuing his duties in Hutchinson. Father Linnebur was named pastor of Sacred Heart in Cunningham in 1975; St. John, El Dorado in 1978; St. Joseph, Conway Springs and St. Martin, Caldwell, in 1983; and St. John, Clonmel in 1992. He retired in 2002. He is buried at the cemetery at Sacred Heart Parish in Colwich.