Marcus Leaming

Marcus Paul Leaming was born June 14, 1932 in Des Moines, Iowa to Cyrus and Margie Leaming as the middle of five children. He was called by his middle name of Paul. He is survived by his older brother David Leaming of Des Moines and his younger sister Darlene Kuntz of Virginia and his half-brother Jim Faulk of Colorado. Paul and his wife, Juanita, had three daughters who now all live in Colorado, Rebecca, Michelle and Heather. His grandchildren include, Suzannah Iris and her two daughters, Cyrah and Corah of Nevada, Kettia Wilson and her husband Brian and their two sons, Mikhail and Bomani of Parker, Colorado, Blake Short of Midland, Texas, Britney Haynie and her husband Drew and their son Parker of Canon City, Mariah Leaming Miller and her husband Charlie and their daughter, Nora, Austin Leaming, and Madison Leaming all of Littleton, Colorado. Paul also had four bonus grandchildren through Rebecca's marriage, Chris, Jeff, Noel and Heather. Paul's wife Juanita died in 2016, they had been married 65 years. Paul died at home in Conifer, Colorado on April 14, 2018 due to complications from his Parkinson's Disease and a stroke.

Paul moved often throughout his childhood but graduated from high school in Austin, Minnesota. He attended Bible School in St. Petersburg Florida where he met Juanita who was also from Iowa, he finished Bible School at Open Bible College in Des Moines. He graduated from college with a Bachelor of Arts from Upper Iowa University in 1960, he graduated from seminary at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Naperville, Illinois in 1963 and received his Doctorate of Ministry from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, California in 1989. Paul pastored Open Bible Churches in Guthrie Center and Waterloo, Iowa. He then pastored United Methodist Churches in Epworth/Chester, and Lime Springs/Farley, Iowa. He then became an evangelist with the National Board of Evangelism of the Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee for five years and conducted New Life Missions across the United States as well as in Australia and Africa. He was also the Director of Prayer Life for the Methodist Church. He was also the Chaplain of the United States Senate for a day in Washington, DC. He was then the Evangelism Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Colorado Springs and then Senior Minister at First United Methodist Church in Canon City and then helped build St. James United Methodist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma as the Senior Pastor his last 15 years of ministry. He travelled to India often to teach at pastor's conferences, led groups to Israel, and taught Homiletics at Oral Roberts University as an adjunct professor. He was a pastor for over 50 years. He was on the radio since the 70's with a devotional message, the most recent is a Barnabas Moment on KNYD which can now be heard around the world via internet. After he retired, he served as a hospice chaplain for several years. Do you think he might have wanted others to know Jesus? It was indeed his life calling!

It is difficult to describe Paul in a few words but he loved Jesus, who he gave his life to at a Youth for Christ Meeting in Austin, Minnesota as a junior in high school. He was a wonderful father and husband and grandfather and great grandfather, dearly loved by his family and many others whose lives he touched. He had every confidence that when his spirit left his earth suit he would be present with Jesus and his family is rejoicing in that!

A memorial service will be held Sunday, June 10 at 2:00 at St. James United Methodist Church in Tulsa at 2:00 p.m.in the afternoon to celebrate his life. A graveside service will be held Monday, June 11, in Woodward, Iowa at 6:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the US Foundation for the Children of Haiti (PO Box 521171, Tulsa 74152) Gladys Thomas, Paul's adopted fourth daughter, directs a mission that provides medical care through Hope Hospital and educational services along with residential care for disabled children and young people attending three grade schools and a vocational school (www.usfch.org)