The Rev. Norman Dale Linville, 80, a retired minister of the Christian Church ( Disciples of Christ) and former editor at Christian Board of Publication in St. Louis, died October 25, 2018, following a stroke.

Norman was born during the Great Depression in a basement house near Colby, KS, where his parents, Leslie and Bertha Williams Linville, farmed. He attended Colby schools, Kansas Wesleyan university in Salina, and the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor where he earned a Master’s degree in English. He pursued creative writing as a poet, won two Hopwood awards for poetry at Michigan, and participated in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

He taught English at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, KS, where he met his future wife, Judi Burch, a fellow faculty member. The couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in August 2018.

In 1970 Norman answered a call to Christian ministry and enrolled at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, CO, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree. In the fall of 1973 he and Judi relocated to St. Louis where he worked for 12 years as an editor at the Christian Board of Publication. He then served for 18 years as the pastor of Maplewood Christian Church ( DOC) in Maplewood, MO.

In retirement Norman enjoyed travel to see old friends and scattered family members, gardening, and genealogy. He volunteered as a member of Compton Heights Christian Church in various outreach and service activities.

Norman was preceded in death by his parents and older brothers Richard, Walter, and Harold Linville and sisters Louise Sanford and Maxine Brooks. He is survived by brothers Larry ( Dolores) Linville of Colby, KS, and Donald (Kay) Linville of Garden City KS; sisters in law Opal Linville and Janice Linville of Colby, and Carol Ann Linville of Irving, TX; brothers-in-law Dale Sanford of Anthony, KS and Roy Brooks of Mineral Wells Texas; cousins Mildred Berry (Mark) of McDonald, KS, Alan Gardner (Julie) of Meridian, ID, Joe (Charlene) Brown of Reva, VA, Rosalind Waldorf of Arlington, TX, Bill (Stephanie) Waldorf of Brownwood, TX; 9 nephews, 10 nieces and many friends, as well as his wife Judi of Bel-Nor Mo, and son Doug Harrison ( Matt Myers) of Washington, DC.

A celebration of Norman’s life will take place Saturday, Nov. 3 at 2 p.m. at Compton Heights Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in St. Louis, with reception following in the church library. Those who wish may contribute to the accessibility fund at Compton Heights CC or a charity of their choosing. Information is available on the church website, http://comptonheights.com/.