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Donald H. Lins

1927 - 2009

Lins, Don

MESA, ARIZ.

Don Lins, age 81 of Mesa, Ariz. passed away on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009. He was born on March 15, 1927, to John and Rose (Hetzel) Lins. Don attended Salvatorian Seminary at St. Nazianz, Wis. and St. John's Seminary at Collegeville, Minn. and then served in the Madison Diocese for 20 years. Don served as a missionary in Haiti for three months in 2000. Don married Sue Blue on July 8, 1972. He is survived by his wife, Sue; sons, David Lins and Bill Blue; daughters, Judy Lins, Peggy Britz, Mary Lange, Catey Mamerow and Terri Horkan; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; brothers, Dan Lins and Fr. James Lins; sisters, Betty Brokish, Sr. Evelyn Lins, Bernadine Limmex, Donna Golner, Barbara Johnson, Marian Schrank and Virginia Harp. Don was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Florence and Mary; and brothers, Jack and Ralph. A funeral Mass was celebrated on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009, at St. Timothy's Catholic Church in Mesa, Ariz.

1952-1954 Father Donald Lins served as assistant pastor at St. Henry’s from 1952-1954

Father Donald Lins

[from St. Henry’s history book]

Father Donald H. Lins was assigned assistant pastor in 1952 (1952-1954), succeeding the Rev. Father Lewandowski. Lins had just been ordained and had read his first Mass at his home parish of St. Luke’s Parish in Plain, Wisconsin. He had two sisters who were nuns.

By means of St. Henry’s as his first assignment Father Don was able to begin his priestly life under the tutelage of Father Herrmann, an experience any newly ordained would benefit from for this rest of his priestly ministry.

The brother of Father Donald Lins, James Lins, was ordained in 1964 and also offered his first Mass in Plain. At that time Father Donald was on the faculty of Holy Name Seminary in Madison.

Father Elmer Dietzel succeeded Father Lins as assistant at St. Henry’s (1954-1959).