John J Venezia

Entered the Heavenly Kingdom surrounded by his family and friends on October 6, 2015 at Heart of the Ozarks Healthcare Center in Ava, Missouri. John was born April 1, 1925, In Mount Vernon, Illinois, to Nickolas and Vita (Ancona) Venezia.

When John was 12 years old his father died suddenly and his oldest sister Rosa took over the role of providing for the family. It was her actions that kept this family together. And John was able to finish his high school and attend college.

John was attending Asbury Theological Seminary as a Junior when he received his "I need you letter" from Uncle Sam in 1945 and was on his way to the Philippines five days out from San Francisco Bay when Japan surrendered unconditionally. He did go on to the Philippines and served as a chaplain's assistant on the Island of Luzon largest of the Philippine Islands. He did assist in building at least 1 church in the Philippines.

On the completion of his military service he returned to Asbury and finished his education graduating from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY in 1949 with a Master of Divinity Degree. He started his ministry in the Methodist Church as a Circuit Preacher pastoring 3 churches in the Dunkinville Ohio area, he then went to the Reedsville circuit which included 5 churches including Reedsville, Tuppers Plains, Longbottom, Joppa and Scottown.

It was in Westminister, Ohio while pastoring a church there that he met, Doris Louise Goldsmith. They were wed on December 31, 1954, and to this union three girls were born, Sarah Ann, Mary Alice, and Martha Louise. When the children were of school age John and Doris started working at Christian Schools so that the girls would have a Christian education. Starting in Central Ohio and Indiana eventually winding up in Ava, Missouri at the Mt. Zion Bible School.

John's life took a rather dark turn in the early 1980's when on June 22, 1982 Doris passed away after a long illness.

There was a brighter future ahead for John when in November 3, 1988 he was blessed with another lady in his life. He married Thelma Margaret (Humes) McNamer, who had lost her first husband quite a number of years earlier. John made his home in Springfield, Missouri with Thelma until 1998, when he moved back to Mt. Zion Bible School, to help again with teaching and the maintenance work.

John was preceded in death by Doris, the first love of his life, his parents, a grandson, Reechon Michael Jathe Frye, and a granddaughter Brenda JoyceAnn Nelson. 6 brothers Vito, Tony, Venzie, Frank, Charlie and Joseph, and three sisters Rosie, Lena, and Anne.

Survivors include Thelma of the home, three daughters, Sarah Ann Nelson, and husband Mitch, Mary Alice Wheeler, and husband Royce, and Martha Louise Frye, and husband Mike, five grandchildren, Ruiz Allen Wheeler, Benjamin David Nelson, Charles Michael Lane Wheeler, Alicia Ruth (Wheeler) McFarlin, and Stephen Darrell Nelson. four great-grand children and one stepgreat-grand child, stepchildren Patricia Joy Stanton, Robert Glenn McNamer, Jerrel D. McNamer and Cheryl Dawn Evans, ten step grand children, and twelve stepgreat-grand children, also a veritable host of cousins nieces and nephews. John will be missed by all who knew him.

Services will be held at the Mt. Zion Church of God (Holiness) on Friday October 9, 2015 at 2:00 PM with a visitation prior to service time at the Church beginning at 12:30 PM. Interment will be at the Mt. Zion Cemetery, with Military Honors by the Troy Herd American Legion Post #112.

In lieu of flowers the family would request memorial contributions to be made to the Mt. Zion Bible School, or to the Mt. Zion Cemetery. Services are being conducted by Clinkingbeard Funeral Home, Ava.