Linda K. Diepenbrock

Linda Diepenbrock, 65, passed away at Pleasant View Home in Inman, Kansas. Linda and her twin brother, Larry Diepenbrock were born December 23, 1958 in Herington, Kansas to Ed and Lucille Diepenbrock. Linda was a 1977 graduate of Herington High School and 1981 graduate of University of Kansas School of Nursing. She worked several years at KU Med Center in Kansas Center advancing to be the head nurse in the Neurosurgery ICU unit. She earned her Masters of Science in Nursing from KU in 1990, after submitting her thesis entitled “Life Events, Resources, and Coping in Family Members After Head Injury”. She cared for many survivors of the 1981 Hyatt Regency collapse during her time at KU, and this clearly impacted the subject of her thesis. What is not so clear is how this impacted her decision to transition away from nursing. While she saw the necessity for the medical/physical care she was providing, she couldn’t ignore the tug inside to be qualified to provide spiritual, pastoral care to those in need. This led her to enroll at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago in 1990, earning her M.Div. in 1994. During her third year in seminary, she spent several months in an internship in Castle Rock, WA. It was during that time that she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. In spite of that she pastored churches in the KC metro area, Herington and McPherson after her graduation in 1994. She was ordained in her home church, St. Paul Lutheran in Herington. Later, she found it necessary to go on disability but remained an active member of Trinity Lutheran church in McPherson for many years. The past 10 years she lived as a resident of Pleasant View homes in Inman where she continued to enjoy outings with family and friends, and entertaining and welcoming anyone who would stop by to visit her or watch a ball game with her. Probably inherited from her dad, she was an avid fan of KU Jayhawks basketball, the KC Chiefs and the KC Royals. Linda was preceded in death by her father, Ed Diepenbrock, and mother, Lucille Diepenbrock. She is survived by her brother, Larry Diepenbrock and his wife, Julie (Medford, WI), her nieces Debra Diepenbrock (St. Paul, MN), Steph Diepenbrock (Merrill, WI), cousins Mary Stokes (Pagosa Springs, CO), Dave and Eileen Diepenbrock (Arvada, CO) and Dick and Gail Ward (Anderson, IN) and many friends throughout the years. The memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in McPherson on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at 10:30 a.m., with a meal following. Linda’s cremains will be buried later that day at 2:00 p.m. at Sunset Hill Cemetery in Herington KS. If anyone has a desire to honor Linda with a memorial, donations may go to either the Kansas Head Injury Association, or the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America World Hunger outreach and sent to Glidden-Ediger-Wiggins Funeral Home, 222 W. Euclid St., McPherson, KS 67460.

Linda K. Diepenbrock

December 23, 1958 - September 23, 2024