Bruce A. Linton
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Memorial services for Bruce Allen Linton, 97, Lawrence, will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 21, 2021 at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence. The service will be live streamed on our website. Inurnment will be held at Pioneer Cemetery. Bruce passed away July 28th, 2021.
Bruce was born in Ottawa, Illinois on December 3, 1923 to Harold and Ina Linton, and grew up in nearby Marseilles with younger brother, Don. They, and his wife, “Chris”, preceded him in death. He is survived by children Marc (Donna) and Wendy (Jeff), grandchildren Andrew, Dean, Jessica and John, and great granddaughters Madelyn and Ella.
Bruce attended Muskingum College (Ohio) where he met his future bride, Marion (“Chris”) Christman, but had his education interrupted by service in the Army in WWII. He faced combat in Europe, was injured (Purple Heart) and finished his “points” in an Army “swing band”. Returning from war, he married Chris on February 14th, 1946 (at her death, they were one month shy of a 75th anniversary), and finished his undergraduate degree.
After receiving his MA and PhD from Northwestern University, he established the Radio, TV, Film department at the University of Nebraska Omaha, then five years later did the same at KU in 1955, serving as department chair for 29 of his 33 years there. His research interest was self-regulation in broadcasting, and his teaching responsibilities were mostly in TV and film production to graduate students, with many of whom he retained life-long friendships. He served the Broadcast Education Association as president and international representative, and was in advisory roles at KU and elsewhere. He received accolades at KU, Kansas, and national levels.
Bruce loved action: gardening, home improvements, making home movies, playing tennis, golf, and handball, entertainment from family, music, theater, and reading. The Linton’s joined Plymouth Congregational Church in 1956, where Bruce sang in the choir for six decades, and from which the family acquired many life-long friendships.
Family highlights included canoe and camping trips. In retirement, Bruce and Chris spent parts of many summers in Estes Park and winters in South Padre Island, jazz cruises, travel within the US and to numerous countries, particularly the UK. They were active with the KU Retirees Endacott Society and had a full social and family calendar.
Bruce will be generally missed as a happy, social, “really nice guy”, and intimately missed for his unconditional love, tolerance, and family devotion, and as a role model of integrity, hard work, and a life fully lived.
Memorial contributions may be made in Bruce’s name to Plymouth Congregational Church or Endacott Society of the KU Alumni Association and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.
Bruce… you made a positive impact at the University of Kansas, Plymouth Congregational Church, and through your other life achievements.
I’ll remember Professor Linton as a RTVF mainstay and top-notch radio historian. 97 years is a good haul. Congratulations on a life well-lived.
Bruce created a community of storytellers. When he touched our lives, we shined. We all feel a special place in our hearts for Professor Linton because the best of him, he left with us.
Aloha to all our Linton family. As an RTVF grad from KU, I knew uncle Bruce before he actually was my Uncle Bruce. Along with the whole family, we morn his loss and are saddened by his passing. We know his was a full and happy life and we are thankful to have known and loved him, proud of all he accomplished and touched by the love he had for his family, work associates & church family. Big hugs to Marc & Donna and Wendy & Jeff at your dad’s passing. Thank you for taking such excellent care of him. May he rest in eternal peace with Aunt Chris. With much love and aloha–Kathleen & Al
I was sorry to read about your father’s passing, Marc. I know you and Donna did a lot for him and with him. He had a full and caring life and it shows in his family. RIP Bruce. With love, Kathy and David
Marc and Donna,
I was sorry to read about the recent death of your father. I always enjoyed seeing him when I walked my dog around the neighborhood. He was a nice man, and I enjoyed that he was so fond of his spirea bushes. I always recognized and respected that the two of you were very kind and attentive toward him and your mother. The Hillcrest neighborhood will not be the same without them.
Bruce Linton was such a fantastic supporter of KU’s Department of Film and Media Studies. He regularly attended the student awards ceremony held in May (before Covid-19) and he was always so kind and considerate. He was truly a wonderful man.
Karla Conrad
Retired Administrative Associate
FMS
Dr. Linton set me up for the rest of my life with one year in the master’s program. He gave me many opportunities including shooting football games, doing a TV show once a month on NBC in Topeka and doing KU TV Commercials. I went on to teach for 10 years at WKU and RIT. Then headed a Xerox television studio for 20 years. I became the BTV live broadcast director for 10 years. Now retired & living most of the year in Florida. I had been sending Bruce emails. And when he stopped responding I was afraid something had happened to him. So very sorry to hear of his death. He was a great mentor.