Father Linus Ukomadu dies of stroke, parishes mourn


Father Linus Ukomadu

Father Linus Ukomadu, pastor of St. Michael Church in Cherokee Village and St. Mary of the Mount Church in Horseshoe Bend, died May 21 at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Mo., after suffering a massive stroke one day earlier.  He was 55.

Father Ukomadu, a priest of the Diocese of Orlu, Nigeria, has been serving in Arkansas since 1999. Father Nazarus Maduba of Atlus and Father Chuma Ibebuike of Russellville were by his side when he died. He was ordained a priest on July 28, 1990 in Orlu.

Father Oliver Ochieze told Arkansas Catholic in 2013 that he remembers the warm welcome he got when he arrived in the diocese with Father Linus. It was September 1999 but Father Ochieze said, “It was cold for us.”

When Father Ukomadu arrived, he was the associate pastor at St. John Church in Hot Springs as well as the sacramental minister at St. Mary Church in Arkadelphia and St. John Church in Malvern. In 2003 he was assigned to be the pastor in Arkadelphia and Malvern. In 2011 he moved to Cherokee Village and Horseshoe Bend.

A vigil service will be held at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock at 7 p.m. Friday, May 23.

The first of two funeral liturgies will be concelebrated at the Cathedral at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 24, followed by a reception in McDonald Hall. Father Linus' body will be transported to Horseshoe Bend Sunday, May 25 and a vigil service prayed at 6 p.m. at St. Mary of the Mount in Horseshoe Bend.

A second funeral will be concelebrated at St. Michael Church in Cherokee Village Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. A luncheon will follow. Father Linus' body then will be sent to Orlu, Nigeria, for burial.

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