Msgr. Sebaugh, technology director for 30 years, dies

Published: September 23, 2016

Msgr. Thomas Sebaugh, who served as the director of information systems in the Diocese of Little Rock for 30 years, died Sept. 22. He was 87.

Born Aug. 3, 1929, Msgr. Sebaugh grew up in Camden, praying the rosary with his family nightly with the intentions that someone in the family would follow a religious calling. In 1945, he took a streetcar to St. John Seminary in Little Rock to find out about becoming a seminarian, despite still being in high school. After three years, in 1948, he left because of health problems.

“I would kneel in the Cathedral and I would think about the ordinations I had attended and the Holy Week services there,” he said in a 2009 Arkansas Catholic article.

His call to the priesthood never wavered and on May 7, 1959, he was ordained. For the next 26 years, he served as an associate pastor and pastor at several churches that include St. Edward Church in Texarkana; St. John, Hot Springs; St. Michael, West Memphis; Immaculate Conception, North Little Rock; St. Peter, Wynne; and St. John, Russellville. He also served as a chaplain for the Missionaries of Charity at Abba House in Little Rock and at St. Vincent Infirmary Medical Center.

Msgr. Sebaugh was an advocate for new technology and in 1985, he was assigned to St. John Center in Little Rock to install computers and train diocesan employees. He also managed the phone system. Despite several health issues including prostate cancer, shoulder joint surgery and a major fall in 2007 and 2008, he continued to serve in that capacity until his retirement in October 2015. After living for a short time in St. John Manor with other retired priests, Msgr. Sebaugh then moved to a nursing facility when he needed more medical attention.

Diocesan information technology director Kristy Eanes, who took over for Msgr. Sebaugh at the diocese, called him a friend and mentor for 19 years.

“Msgr. Thomas Sebaugh worked tirelessly and joyfully in the information technology department for 31 years. He was a brilliant, well-educated and self-taught man who realized the importance and holiness of his ministry and dual role in both furthering the mission of Christ and his Church through the use of technology and as priest and shepherd to the diocesan staff,” Eanes told Arkansas Catholic. “He was a mentor and friend, a confessor and a gentle colleague who treated everyone with respect and love and was a light of Christ to the world. Msgr. Sebaugh was from the greatest generation. He had a strong and valuable work ethic and was a good steward of the resources with which he was entrusted. He was especially gifted in the intricacies of building and maintaining phone systems and knowledge of parish data system software, which he supported in the parishes for many years.”

He is survived by two sisters, Rita Barthol of Little Rock and Ruth Moix of Hot Springs.

A rosary will be prayed at 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock. A Mass of Christian Burial will be concelebrated Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. with burial in Calvary Cemetery following the funeral Mass.