Mr. Birk was a member and minister of Longwood
Presbyterian Church. He was a graduate of St. George
High School, in Hermann, and Central Missouri State
University, in Warrensburg. He received his Masters of Divinity in 2003 from Central Baptist Theological Seminary. He was a minister for Range Line, Longwood and Otterville Presbyterian churches since 1999. From 1994 until 1999 he served as Pastor for Knob Noster Presbyterian Church. He served as moderator and member of the Camps and Outdoor Ministries Committee, on the Evaluation Committee and formerly served as its moderator. He was on the Council of Presbytery and participated as a member of an informal study and support group for pastors at Bothwell Regional Health Center and Pettis County Ministerial Association. He loved God, people, his family, and the churches he served, and attending school and community events. Leo started a pee-wee basketball league. He was an officer in the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving during the Vietnam war. He had lived in Sedalia since 1979.
Survivors include his wife, Carolyn D. Birk, of the home; a son, Michael Birk, and his wife, Cathy, of Boonville; a stepson, Derek D. Smith, of Columbia; a stepdaughter, Cara L. Smith, of Lake Clarke Shores, Fla.; two grandchildren, Jordan Elizabeth and Jeremy Michael Birk; six brothers, Dennis Birk, of Hermann, Rodney Birk, of Mehlville, Larry Birk, of Florissant, Tom Birk, of Flossmore, Ill., David Birk, of Independence, and Kevin Birk, of Grover, MO; four sisters, Shirley Koenig, of Rhineland, MO, Fran McDonald, of Wildwood, MO, Mary Cohen, of Stamford, CT, and Becky Viola, of Baldwin, MO; a sister-in-law, Gloria Birk, Hermann, MO; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his parents; a brother, Elmer Birk; and brother-in-law, Joe Koenig.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, May 18, 2006, at Broadway Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Dr. Larry Wheeler and the Rev. Bruce Berry officiating.
Pallbearers will be Randy Marcum, Charles Goode, J.R. Greer, Jeff Barnes, Jim Bales, and Jim Reid.
Burial will be in Longwood Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday at Heckart/Gillespie Colonial Chapel.
The family suggests memorial contributions to Tri-County Ministries or Covenant Pointe Camp and Retreat Center.
Leo John Birk, 60, of Sedalia, died Sunday, May 14, 2006, at Bothwell Regional Health Center.
He was born October 25, 1945, in Jefferson City, a son of Leo Nick and Florence C. Danuser Birk. On April 24, 1992, in Sedalia, he married Carolyn D. Craig, who survives of the home.
