LEON C. BRINKOPF

Leon Clarence Brinkopf, 71, of Cape Girardeau, died Thursday, July 2, 1998, at St. Francis Medical Center.

He was born Oct. 20, 1926, at Cape Girardeau, son of Leon F. and Flora E. Werner Brinkopf.

He married Genevieve East Jan. 30, 1963, at Sikeston.

He was graduate of Cape Central High School, where he played football, basketball and baseball. He was also a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, and obtained a master's degree in school administration from University of Missouri.

He played professional baseball for five years, signing with the Chicago Cubs organization. He first played at Los Angeles in the Pacific Coast League, where he was the league's most valuable player. He played with the Cubs parts of two seasons before being forced to retire because of a back injury.

He coached basketball at Diehlstadt. He was later a teacher and coach at Thebes, Ill., before joining Cape Central as baseball and junior high football coach. He taught and coached in the Cape Central school system a total of 30 years. He coached the 1964 Cape Central team that won the Missouri state baseball championship.

He was a member of the American Legion, VFW and Major Leagues Alumni Association. He was also a member of the Southeast Missouri Baseball Hall of Fame and the Cape Central Sports Hall of Fame.

He served in the Marines during World War II.

He is survived by a son, Fred Brinkopf of Cape Girardeau, and a sister, Juliene Beard of Cape Girardeau.

Service will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Ford & Sons Funeral Home Mount Auburn Road, with the Rev. David Dissen officiating.

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.