Wesley Monteiro Oliveira , 73, of Riverview, Florida, rose into the presence of his Savior November 19, 2019. He succumbed to complications of Alzheimer's disease after 6 years of incremental losses. During most of that time he lived at home with the caregiving of his wife. He was surrounded by the love of family and friends in his last days, and he received compassionate care from ICU and hospice workers.

Wesley was born November 14, 1946, in Recife, Brazil. He was the third of 10 children in his family. His father Antonio Felix de Oliveira was a successful businessman and lay preacher. His mother Noemi Monteiro de Oliveira was a midwife who had a strong Christian influence on each of her children. Wesley  accepted Christ as Savior at age 9. Following graduation from secondary school, he came to the United States to attend Pillsbury Baptist Bible College in Owatonna, Minnesota. During Wesley's senior year at Bible college, God called him into the ministry. He obtained a master's degree in theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary of Minneapolis. In 1968, he met Tena Marilyn Post, a fellow Pillsbury graduate and friend of his brother's wife, and they married on August 7, 1971, in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Wesley and Tena came from different cultural backgrounds, but they shared a Christian upbringing and were united by their call to impart the Gospel as missionaries. They joined Baptist Mid-Missions in 1977 and traveled across the States to present their vision and to raise support from churches and individual sponsors. In 1979, they went to the city of Curitiba in southern Brazil. Within a year, they welcomed 3 children into their family-- Lee, Lisa, and Raquel. By 1983, they had grown to a family of 6 with the arrival of their son Jeffrey. Wesley initially assisted with an existing church in Curitiba, then went on to plant two churches, the first in the village of Osternack, and the second in Pinheirinho. The Oliveiras transferred to the North American mission field in 1994 and started work with Portuguese-speaking people in Tampa Bay, Florida. The church met in a series of locations and reached many souls. Wesley and Tena retired from the mission in 2015 to focus on maximizing their remaining time as a family.

Wesley showed deep interest in and attention to the people he met, and invested himself in meeting their spiritual and practical needs. He was a cherished husband, father, son, brother, uncle, friend, preacher, teacher, and counselor. He loved whole-heartedly. He took great pride in his children and nourished their maturation. He found joy in the skills and accomplishments of others. He welcomed people into his home with warm hospitality, and he celebrated special occasions with enthusiasm. He had a playful sense of humor, a captivating talent for expression, and an abiding faith in God that transcended all of life's circumstances. He was a man of prayer who lifted up concerns, requests, and gratitude to his heavenly Father. He sang operatic numbers and songs of praise with energy and passion. He delighted in performance art, theme parks, urban architecture, motorcycles, photography, and natural wonders.

Wesley is survived by his wife (Tena), daughters (Lisa and Raquel), son (Jeff, married to Taneica), daughter-in-law (Priscila), 3 grandchildren (Lee's and Priscila's daughter Anna-Clara and son Jamie, and Jeff's and Taneica's daughter Twyla), 9 siblings (Leticia, Guaraci, Rosalee, Roberto, Jailson, Getulio, Noemi, Ana, and Antonio), and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son (Lee), foster son (Sergio Lapis da Silva), parents (Antonio and Noemi), and infant brother (Noeles).

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 30, at 2 pm EST at Overflow Church (previously called South Brandon Worship Center and former meeting place of Brazilian Baptist Church), 4929 Bell Shoals Road, Valrico, Florida 33596. Flowers may be delivered to the Oliveira family at 11802 Tall Elm Court, Riverview, Florida 33569, or donations made to Bibles International, the Bible translation ministry of Baptist Mid-Missions ( biblesint.org ).