John Joseph Oliver, 52, of Columbia, MO went to be with his Saviour, Jesus Christ, on January 17, 2020, after a long struggle with throat cancer. He was born in a snow storm on Scott Air Force Base, IL on January 11, 1968. He graduated from High School in Mascoutah, Illinois and received a BS degree in communications from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. John was a single man of many talents and skills; sculpting, singing, landscaping, carpentry, radio advertising, and social services counseling, but his passion was helping people. He picked up languages quickly and was conversant in Bosnian and Kurdish. His most fulfilling jobs were teaching English as a second language in Omaha, NE, and resettling immigrant families of a variety of nationalities into the USA in the Nashville, TN area.
John is survived by his parents, John W. and Louella M. Oliver, a sister, Annette Hollister, and four nieces that he adored, Nora, Brynn, Aubrey, and Tori Hollister.
Funeral services will be held at 11:30AM on Saturday, January 25, 2020, at the Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70W, Columbia, MO, and will be officiated by Pastor Edward Phillips of Compass Evangelical Free Church. Family will receive friends at 10:00 AM prior to the funeral services. John will be interned at St. Paul’s Evangelical Burial Park, Conrad Kolmer Memorial, Waterloo, IL in a private ceremony.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Gideons International or the American Cancer Society in lieu of flowers.
