Dr. Dale Edward Linebaugh
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Dr. Dale Edward Linebaugh passed peacefully to his eternal reward at the age of 93 on March 4, 2022 with his loving wife at his side after heroically battling cancer for several years. A viewing will be held at the Elgin Funeral Home from 5 to 8 p.m. March 7, 2022. His funeral will be held at The Cowboy Church in Apache, on Tuesday March 8, 2022 at 2 p.m., and a private interment service held at Warrior's Rest Cemetery at Miracle Mountain Ranch, Spring Creek, PA at a later date.
Dale Edward Linebaugh was born on July 21, 1928 to Ralph Edward and Lucy Haines Linebaugh in Struthers, Ohio. He spent his summers growing up on the farm of his grandparents, Clyde and Bessie Robinson in West Virginia where he learned to love horses for the rest of his life. He gave his life to serve the Lord Jesus at the age of 15 and at the age of 18 he entered Practical Bible Training School, Johnson City, New York to study for the ministry. While at Practical he met Opal Florence Chaffee and while courting her they reopened a closed church which is still active today. Dale and Opal married July 4, 1949 and entered a long life of pastoral ministry. During his life Dale pastored 12 churches, assisted his son Jonathan "Jed" Linebaugh in planting two Cowboy Churches, paid for the building and preached the dedication message of a church in India, founded two ranch-styled summer camps for young people and traveled as an evangelist for 21 years across the United States. As Chairman of the Board of Source of Light Publication Ministries he ministered to churches in 125 countries. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bryan College, Dayton, Tennessee; his Master of Science degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee and his Doctor of Philosophy degree from Oxford University Extension school, Dayton, Tennessee. During his studies for his doctorate degree, he was very proud of the fact that he had the opportunity to study at the famous Bodleian Library at Oxford University, United Kingdom. He later became the president of his alma mater, Practical Bible School, and was able to cause that school to become accredited as Davis College. He had a beautiful tenor singing voice and played the guitar. With these he blessed many churches and other audiences all of his life but he was best known for his strong leadership and hard work ethic with which he influenced thousands of young people.
Dale was preceded in death by his wife Opal Chaffee Linebaugh; parents: Ralph Edward and Lucy Haines Linebaugh; brother, Ray "Skip" Linebaugh; sisters: Betty Linebaugh Palagi and Janet Linebaugh Hinkson and grandson, Jeremiah Lewis Sterrett.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Rogers Linebaugh; children: Melodie Linebaugh Sterrett (Lewis) and Jonathan Edward "Jed" Linebaugh (Debra); eight grandchildren: Daniel Isaac Sterrett, Sandra Dessolee Sterrett, Gretchen Linebaugh Jester (Daniel), Titus Edward Linebaugh (Jillian), Meagan Linebaugh Magill (Ezekiel) and 12 great-grandchildren; four stepchildren: Charles "Chip" Rogers (Stephanie), Robin Rogers Treadmill, Pam Rogers Payne (Jeff) Wayne Rogers (Lesley), and nine step-grandchildren; brothers: Gary R. Linebaugh (Susan) and Glen Thomas Linebaugh (Pat); sisters: Susan Linebaugh and Laura Lee Linebaugh.
The Cowboy Church of Apache was his last place of ministry where he lovingly taught the Word of God with great power of the Holy Spirit to the very end. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed.
An online guestbook is available at FletcherAndElginFuneral.com.