Virgil "Julius" Fleenor

Virgil “Julius” Fleenor, age 99, passed away on March 24, 2020 in Sublimity. Julius was born on January 19, 1921 in Cherryville, Kansas to Virgil and Nadine (Hartley) Fleenor. Their family moved to Yakima, Washington where Julius graduated from high school.  He attended Northwest Christian College in Eugene, Oregon for his undergraduate studies, and graduated from Butler School of Religion located in Indianapolis, Indiana with his Master’s Degree in Theology. Julius and his family moved to Japan in 1950, and he began an intensive language course that he completed in two years. Over the years, he established several churches, taught at universities and wrote two books. He was highly respected for his work in Japan. Julius was instrumental in establishing several churches in the Tokyo area, taught English in Japanese Universities, established a summer camp program in Nagano, Japan, especially bringing up Japanese children and youth during the hot, humid summers for a summer camp experience and Bible teaching in the cool mountains of Karuizawa, Japan. He worked with the Union Church, an inter-denominational missionary church, in holding outdoor evangelistic meetings, reaching many Japanese people with the message of Christ.   During his life he was much loved by the Japanese people and the Sayama Church of Christ, located in Saitama Prefecture, is still in existence today.  Julius was always helpful and kind to anyone seeking help, including people who were in need, especially those in the Shinjuku ward of Tokyo where hardly a building was left standing.  Julius’s own father came to Japan to build a house for their family.  That home was always open to people and a refuge for many. In his book How Peculiar Can One Get? he tells of his life and his interesting encounters of living in Japan right after the war years up to his retirement. His book is available on Amazon.  He was also interested in the last book of the New Testament, Revelation, and did extensive research on the work after returning from Japan.  The title of the book is Revelation is History Foretold. Julius was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Virginia Fleenor, in 2017; and 3 of his children, Dana, John and Julia. He is survived by 4 children, Joseph Fleenor, Stephen Fleenor, Grace Mccue, and Laurie Sands Fleenor; as well as 8 beloved grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. He will be greatly missed. Julius will be laid to rest in Lone Oak Cemetery in Stayton.