Arthur F. Wesley

Arthur F. Wesley

26 October 1885 - 10 August 1975


Arthur F. Wesley

Bishop Arthur F. Wesley, 89, of Lakeland, Fla., a member of the Detroit Conference, died August 10 at Lakeland General Hospital following a long illness. A native of North Branch, Michigan, Bishop Wesley was a graduate of Albion College and furthered his education at Garrett Theological Seminary. He served pastorates in Michigan and Indiana before going to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he served as bishop for the Central Conference of Latin America, the United Methodist Church. While there he translated and wrote 36 books and founded a theological seminary. During the 40 years he was stationed in South America he had two speaking furloughs in the United States. He also had served on the Board of Bishops of the United Methodist Church. In 1957 he was appointed pastor of the Fourteenth Avenue United Methodist Church in Detroit. He had been a resident of Lakeland since retiring in 1958 and attended the First United Methodist there. He was preceded in death by his wife, Louisa, and a twin daughter, Bernice. Survivors include four daughters, Elizabeth (Betty) and Ruth, both of Lakeland, Mrs. Harriet Garland and Mrs. Louise Balsa both of Buenos Aires, Argentina; a foster daughter, Hilda Benitez of Lakeland; two sons, Donald of Concord, Calif., and Robert of Virginia Beach, Va.; a brother, Percy of Lakeland; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a niece, Mrs. Beatrice W. Lewis of Chicago, Ill. Funeral services were held in the First United Methodist Church, Lakeland, with the pastor, Rev. David G. Hortin, and Bishop Joel D. McDavid of the Florida Conference officiating. Interment was in Lakeland Memorial Gardens.

- Detroit Annual Conference minutes of 1976, p. 371

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