Eugene W. Linse

Dr. Eugene W. Linse, age 91 left us to join his wife Barbara in the house of our heavenly Father on Friday, May 30, 2014 at the American Lutheran Home in Mondovi, Wisconsin. He was born on January 29, 1923 to Eugene and Anna (List) Linse of Modena, Wisconsin. Dr. Linse, a 1947 graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, earned a Master of Arts Degree in Education at Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Minnesota. His career as an educator began at Concordia Academy, Austin, Texas, from 1948-1956 where he was also active in sports and a member of the SBOA and SFOA. As a professor of Government and Constitutional Law and head of the Social Science Department of Concordia College, St. Paul, Minnesota from 1956-1982, he also served as a board member of the Higher Education Consortium on Urban Affairs, which oversees academic programs conducted by members of the Private College Conference of the Upper Midwest. He served as President and Chairman of the board of Crestview Lutheran Home, Columbia Heights, Minnesota. In Minnesota, Dr. Linse was active in politics, establishing the Legislative Intern Program in the Minnesota Legislature, serving as President of the Minnesota Federation of Citizens for Education Freedom, helping to establish the Minnesota tax credit bill for parents of students in private and parochial schools, the bus transportation bill for students in non-public schools, as well as other education and Pro-life related legislation. Subsequently, Dr. Linse also served as National President of Citizens for Educational Freedom with Washington Offices. In 1977, Dr. Linse, together with other Lutheran leaders, founded Lutherans for Life, a national pro-life organization with more than 200 chapters in 20 states. From 1982 until his retirement in 1991, Dr. Linse served as the Executive Director of the Board of Social Ministry Services of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in St. Louis, Missouri. Earlier he had established the Keys for Christ program to provide seed money for low-income housing projects as well as serving for a time as chairman of the Social Concerns Committee of the LCMS. During his St. Louis years, Dr. Linse also served on the Board of Directors of Lutheran World Relief, New York; Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, New York; Lutheran Resource Commission, Washington, D.C.; and Inter-Lutheran Disaster Response, Chicago, Illinois. In 1983, he helped organize and start Cedar Hill Lutheran Church, Cedar Hill, Missouri. Most recently he was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Woodbury, MN. After retirement in St. Louis from the above organizations, Dr. Linse served as Vice President/Administration, VisionAire Corporation, a Chesterfield, Missouri corporation engaged in aircraft construction and later, Director of Government Relations at VisionAire. Dr. Linse is survived by his four children, Robert (Debra) of Charlotte, N.C; Pamela (James) Olson of San Diego, CA; James (Marion) of Sheboygan, WI; and Daniel of Woodbury, MN. Two sisters: Doris Bauer/Marten of Wauwatosa, WI and Charlotte Peapenburg of Peoria, AZ and sister-in-law, Lois Linse of Fall Creek, WI. In addition, his survivors include eleven grandchildren, four great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife Barbara, parents and a brother. A visitation will be held on Friday, June 27 from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Talbot Family Funeral Home in Mondovi. A funeral service will be at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Modena on Saturday, June 28 at 11:00 AM with an hour of visitation prior. Burial will follow at St. Paul’s Lutheran Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Lutherans for Life, LCMS World Relief and Human Care are welcomed. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.talbot funeral homes.com.