Larry Linn was born on February 12, 1937 and went home to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 14, 2026. Larry was born in Hillsboro, Kansas, because his home town of Antelope, Kansas didn’t have a hospital. In Antelope, Larry’s parents, Ray and Thelma Linn, ran a mercantile store, butcher shop, post office and gas station.

Larry was raised with his sister Anita. When Larry was three, his family moved to Herington, Kansas where his father worked for a Coca Cola bottling plant. When he was in second grade, at the age of seven, his family moved to Superior, Nebraska where his father got a managing position at a Coca Cola bottling plant.

After moving to Superior, Larry worked his first job, delivering the Omaha Herald newspaper on his bike. When he was in 7th grade, his family moved to Alamosa, Colorado where his father purchased a 7-Up bottling plant. Larry worked for his father, starting with unloading and reloading the trucks for the next day’s deliveries. Once he received his driver’s license, he started driving the delivery trucks to make deliveries which included picking up all the empty bottles. Larry maintained a strong work ethic his entire life.

During his adolescence, he loved to explore old abandoned mines in the mountains around the San Luis Valley. After he finished high school in Alamosa, to pursue his passion, he went to the Colorado School of Mines in 1955. Larry and Janet (Taliaferro) Linn were married on September 22nd, 1957 in Alamosa, Colorado. They were married almost 69 years when Larry passed away.

They moved to Leadville, Colorado in 1957 so he could work full time for Climax Molybdenum Company. In 1961, Larry built his own home in Leadville where he and Janet raised their three children. Larry worked eleven years underground and the rest of his tenure in the open pit, ending up as head engineer. Larry retired from mining in 1985 and moved with Janet, to Salida to be closer to his mother, Thelma, in Alamosa. They built another incredible home in Salida.

Larry was instrumental, along with Al Smith and Hank Harelson in bringing antenna television to the Leadville area. They built and maintained four buildings on Mosquito Pass to house the equipment that would provide the television signal. Larry, his family, Al and Hank spent many hours, year round, on the top of Mosquito Pass taking care of these buildings.

Larry’s hobbies included painting, hunting and gardening,. He maintained amazing vegetable gardens in Leadville and Salida. He also enjoyed taxidermy, displaying elf, deer, and fish in his home. He worked at this hobby for many years, mounting over 400 fish for himself and many others.

Larry was a prolific oil painter, entering his paintings for many years in the Chaffee County Open Awards Art Show, winning best in show in 2011, and many awards in other years. He also entered paintings at the Chaffee County Fair as recent as 2025, also bringing home many awards.

Larry and Janet have been faithful congregants for decades, first at the First Presbyterian Church of Leadville and currently at the Salida Presbyterian Church, being greeters for many years at the Salida Church. Larry also designed, planned and built the youth center that is at the Presbyterian Church in Leadville. This building is still much loved and used for the current church family.

Larry and Janet were fortunate to travel with their church family to England, Scotland, Italy, Egypt, Greece, Turkey and Jordan.They also enjoyed extensive travels around the United States, Mexico and Canada. Other locations traveled to were Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and cruises to Alaska and the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.

Larry was predeceased by his parents, Ray and Thelma (Seigle) Linn, sister, Anita Ebaugh, nephews, Jim and Thomas Ebaugh, grandson-in-law, William (Billy) Cordova, and great grandson, Cortland Fox Purdy. He is survived by his wife, Janet, children, John (Felicia) Linn, Paula (Mike) Wilder, Jennifer (Forrest) Leaf, nephew Don Ebaugh, grandchildren, Brittney (Javier) Lopez, Mony (Rachel) Masa, Holly Cordova, Kristin (Geoff) Feuerstein, Sandy (Josh) Pace, Ryan Purdy, Vance (Erin) Purdy, Kyle Leaf, great grandchildren, Karra Elizalde, Javier Lopez, Amelia Lopez, Ella Masa, Maxwell Masa, Archie Masa, Caleb (Emily) Stephens, Abby (Ryan) Sharpe, Morgan Cordova, Sydney Feuerstein, Camdyn Feuerstein, Landon Pace, Lexi Pace, Grayor Purdy, Jace Purdy, Rowan Purdy, Jack Purdy, and great, great grandchild, Salem Sharpe. You will always be in our hearts. In God’s safe keeping may you rest.

A service has been scheduled on September 19, 2026 at 11:00 at the First Presbyterian Church of Salida at 7 Poncha Blvd, Salida, CO 81201.

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