Bruce Leinback, husband, father, papa, friend, attorney and Vietnam War veteran, died May 20, 2023, surrounded by family, at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Fla. He was born on July 2, 1948, in St. Paul, Minn., but ultimately became a lifelong Floridian after his family moved to Venice, Fla., while Bruce was in high school. Upon graduating from Venice High School, Bruce worked his way through college and received his undergraduate degree in history from Florida State University (FSU) in 1970. Following graduation, he accepted a commission as an officer in the United States Army and served his country in Vietnam, for which he received the Army Commendation Medal.
In 1973, Bruce returned to Tallahassee to attend law school at FSU, and after graduating in 1976, he served as an attorney with the Florida Public Employees Relations Commission. Bruce subsequently worked for the U.S. government in Central America as an attorney with the Panama Canal Company and the Canal Zone Government. After the Panama Canal Treaty became effective, he worked as an attorney for the Panama Canal Commission and served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney. In addition, he was the chief negotiator for the U.S. government in collective bargaining negotiations with the various labor unions who represented employees at the Panama Canal. Since 1985, Bruce has resided in Jefferson County and had a wide-ranging civil practice in North Florida.
During his 46-year legal career, Bruce also served as the City Attorney for the City of Monticello (for over 25 years) and the College Attorney for North Florida Community College in Madison (for 20 years). Bruce was a member of the Florida Bar, District of Columbia Bar, American Bar Association and Jefferson County Bar Association. Bruce remained active throughout the community and has served as an officer and director of the Jefferson County Historical Association and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Monticello Opera House. He is a past President of the William H. Stafford American Inn of Court in Tallahassee and a past president of the Tallahassee Northside Rotary Club. He has also been an Adjunct Professor at the FSU College of Law, a member of the vestry at Christ Episcopal Church in Monticello and has served as the officiant for the wedding ceremonies of many friends and family members.
In 1995 Bruce went on what would ultimately be his last first date (ever), with the woman who would become his wife, Linda. Bruce and Linda married on April 13, 1996. The two blended their families seamlessly, and Bruce became so much more than a stepdad to Linda’s three children, who truly consider him their bonus dad. Their 27 years of marriage were filled with family tailgates for FSU football games, yearly cross-country road trips with their children and grandchildren, countless holiday celebrations and outdoor excursions with friends and family, and an endless supply of love and laughter.
Bruce is survived by his wife, Linda Leinback of Monticello, Fla.; daughters, Elizabeth Leinback and Lindsey (Dustin) Frost, both of Tallahassee, Fla.; daughter and son, Leilania (Paul) Nichols and Seth (Diana Langley) Scott, both of Crawfordville, Fla.; his four granddaughters, Lily, Laurel, Lacey and Isabelle; his sister, Sheila Szafraniec (Terry) of Orangeburg, S.C.; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. He was predeceased by his sisters, Joan Riggs and Susan Leinback.
A memorial celebration of life service will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 1 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church in Monticello, Fla. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Mary and Susan Leinback Memorial Nursing Scholarship at North Florida College in Madison, Fla., which was set up in memory of Bruce’s mother, Mary Leinback, and his sister, Susan Leinback, for students in Jefferson County.
Published by Monticello News/Jefferson County Journal from Jun. 6 to Jun. 7, 2023.
