Dr. Wesley J. Vesey (STH ’54, GRS ’61)

Wesley James Vesey died peacefully in his sleep on February 16, 2025. He was born on October 30, 1927, in Jamestown, Ohio, and grew up the youngest of three children. His father served as a United Methodist minister and during his childhood the family moved to different parishes in small Ohio towns -after Jamestown came West Carrollton, Lebanon, Celina, and Bowling Green.  He seemed to live the ideal childhood with his sisters Margaret and Evelyn, and his adventures provided the subject for many stories told over the years to children and grandchildren.  He served in the army from 1946-1947 before beginning his freshman year at Bowling Green State University, and finishing his bachelor’s degree at Ohio Wesleyan in 1951.  He obtained his divinity degree at Boston University School of Theology in 1954. Memorable overseas educational experiences included studies at New College, Edinburgh, and the University of Göttingen in 1954-55.  He married Phyllis Thompson, after meeting her while pursuing his degree at BU. Together they shared love and life for nearly 70 years and raised four children.  He seemed destined to follow the same path as his father after finishing his divinity degree and taking the pulpit in two Massachusetts parishes, in Sagamore from 1956-1960, and Medford from 1960-1963.  In 1961 he managed to complete a PhD from BU, quite an accomplishment with family and parish responsibilities consuming his time. Perhaps Ohio beckoned once more and he found that his talent for preaching could translate to teaching in the college classroom, and in 1963 he moved the family to Alliance, Ohio, where he was professor of religion at Mount Union College for 27 years until his retirement in 1990. He rode his bicycle to campus on most days since his family of six had only one car.  In addition to his professorship, at various times during his tenure he served as department chair, chaplain, and interim dean.  He received the Great Teacher Award at Mount Union in 1974 in addition to other distinguished teaching awards throughout his career.  Travels over the years took him to four continents, and academic sabbaticals and educational trips expanded his knowledge of his subject which he applied creatively in the classroom.

He enjoyed camping, gardening, simple carpentry, tinkering around the house, and creating things with his hands like electronic gadgets and mantel clocks from kits.  He was fastidious, and had the most organized tool bench ever, which doubled as an at-home office. When he wasn’t marking student papers, he would most often have a book or scholarly journal in hand, but rarely, if ever, fiction. He kept a detailed diary, and was a prolific letter writer, and one could often hear his manual typewriter tip-tapping away from the basement.  He had a legendary sweet tooth for ice cream and baked goods.  He loved the study of languages, both ancient and modern. He was also known for his sense of humor and silliness, which his children and grandchildren took great delight in. Using a cliche he himself often employed, he was a gentleman and a scholar.

He had many years of active retirement in Prescott, AZ, before returning once again to Ohio, where he spent his remaining years in his former college town of Delaware.

He is survived by his wife, four children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Now his story has ended, but the stories and the histories that he told in the pulpit, the classroom, and at family gatherings will be remembered for many years to come and assure that his legacy will remain with us.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2025 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Snyder Rodman Funeral Center, 101 Valleyside Dr., Delaware, Ohio. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. at the funeral home on Saturday following visitation. Memorial contributions can be made in Wesley’s memory to Heartland Hospice, 6500 Busch Blvd #210, Columbus, OH 43229 or to Powell United Methodist Church, 825 Olentangy St #1, Powell, OH 43065.