SCHLENER, John August 

After a life's journey of 92 years, John August 
Schlener went home to be with his Lord and Savior on 
Sunday morning, November 29, 2009, in Liberty Lake, 
WA. Born in Centuria, WI, on March 5, 1917, to August 
and Rena Schlener, he and older sister Ruth and 
younger brother Paul spent several years in Conde, 
SD, before moving to Bonners Ferry, ID, in the late 
1930s. He married the former Frances Marie Read, also 
of Bonners Ferry, in June of 1942. Shortly 
thereafter, John reported for training with the US 
Army Air Corps as a Bombardier-Navigator on the 
Boeing B-17. 1st Lt Schlener shipped overseas for 
duty with the 8th Air Force in Europe. Wounded in 
action over Germany on his 13th combat bombing 
mission, he returned to the USA for extensive surgery 
and rehabilitation to his right hand and arm. After 
reuniting with wife Frances, John's young family 
along with brother Paul and his wife Jessie, moved to 
Southern California to prepare for service as 
missionaries. After graduating from the Bible 
Institute of Los Angeles in the late 1940s, both 
couples arrived in the Upper Amazon of Brazil in 1951 
to begin an evangelistic, church-planting, team 
ministry in Brazil with the Association of Baptists 
for World Evangelism. John and Frances served as 
pioneer missionaries in the Amazon until 1969, in a 
location that became known as "The Port of Two 
Brothers," their missionary efforts have been 
documented in brother Paul Schlener's book of the 
same name, as well as several documentary films and 
National Geographic articles. Returning to the 
metropolis of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1974, and later 
serving as NW representatives, they officially 
retired in 1982 only to continue as volunteers in 
hopes of encouraging others to pick up the baton. 
Longtime residents of Bonners Ferry, ID, John and 
Fran were compelled to move to Spokane in 1997 to 
live with their daughter after Fran's diagnosis of 
Alzheimer's. Despite this blow, John continued to 
encourage others to serve the Lord and was an active 
member at Valley Bible Church. His great sense of 
humor and positive outlook never failed him, causing 
many to be drawn to him. He relished any opportunity 
to share Christ with others, captivating them with 
accounts of how God had transformed his life and sent 
him down an exciting path. A unique man with a 
singular ministry, his experience is a tribute to the 
patient abundant grace of a merciful God. John is 
survived by his brother, Paul, sons, John, David, 
Phillip, and daughter Allene, numerous grandchildren 
and three great grandchildren and beloved friends 
around the world. Funeral services will be held on 
Friday, December 4th at 11:00 AM at the Bonners Ferry 
Funeral Home in Idaho. The family suggests donations 
be made to the John Schlener Memorial Fund at ABWE to 
support the translation of Bible literature into the 
Ticuna Indian language. Contact ABWE at (717) 774-
7000 or online at http://www.abwe.org/give/. Please 
reference Source code: MMEMJS - Project: 0711171 - 
Subaccount: 016 

Published in Spokesman-Review from December 4 to 
December 5, 2009