Leonard Charles Pinney went to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

Born on December 4, 1933, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, he was the beloved son of Edwin Earl Pinney and Marian Sellers Pinney.

Rev. Pinney's formative years were spent in various states as his father's work as a farm and ranch manager led the family across the country. He graduated from Pocahontas High School, Illinois in 1952, and made Pocahontas his home after graduation. There, he met and married the love of his life, Marie Roy, in 1955.

Answering his call to ministry in his mid-twenties, Rev. Pinney dedicated his life to serving as a pastor in numerous Southern Baptist churches throughout central and southern Illinois. After 58 years of faithful service in full-time ministry, he transitioned to a role in pastoral care at Passavant Area Hospital, where he continued to touch lives with his compassion and faith.

A committed community servant, Rev. Pinney also contributed his time and wisdom as a board member of the Jacksonville Food Center, the Wells Center, and the Morgan County Housing Authority. In pursuit of deepening his pastoral care skills, he attended SIU-Springfield, earning a degree in Clinical Pastoral Education in 1992.

Len was an avid St. Louis Cardinal fan. He followed the team closely, and attended many of their home games and had been to Sportsman Park, Busch Stadium and the current Busch stadium ll. He could spend hours discussing the Cardinals, baseball in general, and reminiscing about earlier teams and players.

Rev. Pinney was preceded in death by his parents; his dear wife Marie; his brothers Harold and Edward; and his sister Katherine. He leaves behind his stepson, Russell Roy of Grafton, Illinois; along with a host of friends and congregants whose lives he touched with his unwavering faith and kindness.

A celebration of Rev. Pinney's life will be held 1:00 pm Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at Williamson Funeral Home in Jacksonville. A visitation will be held 4:00-6:00pm Monday at the funeral home. Private burial will be held at Robinson Cemetery in Pocahontas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Roodhouse honoring his lifelong commitment to service and community. Condolences may be sent online at airsman-hires.com.