Clarence Birchel Wiley, 96, formerly of Gonzales, Louisiana and a resident of McAllen, Texas, passed away on Tuesday, June 21, 2022, at the Alfredo Gonzalez Texas State Veteran’s Home, McAllen, Texas. Born November 20, 1925, in Jonesville, Louisiana, he was the son of the late Clarence William Wiley and Lula Vanier Wiley. After high school, he joined the Navy and served in World War II. After serving in the war, he attended International Bible College (“IBC”) in San Antonio, Texas. During his time there, he met his wife, the late Gealeen Marie Lofton Wiley, at a tent revival. After graduating from IBC, he began evangelizing and pastoring many churches in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana. In 1974 he founded the Gospel Lighthouse, now known as First Apostolic Church, in Gonzales, Louisiana, and pastored there until spring of 2002 at which time he retired and became a Bishop. He was a guitar, piano and harmonica player. He also tuned pianos and rebuilt them. He enjoyed fishing, hunting and playing dominoes. He was a knife collector and a private pilot, also. He was an electrician by trade. He formed the Wiley Evangelistic & Missionary Association where he made many trips to Mexico to build churches and did electrical work on the Eagle’s Nest Orphanage. Clarence was of the Pentecostal/Apostolic faith. Besides his parents, he is preceded in death by his brothers, David Darius Wiley, Thomas Elvin Wiley and Max Berlin Wiley and his sisters, Esther Wiley Fincher, Bernice Wiley Sanders, Alice Wiley Smith, Clarice Wiley Tarpley and Norma Ruth Wiley. Survivors include two sons, Jerry Lynn Wiley and wife, Patricia and Ralph Michael Wiley and Terri Adams, and one daughter, Naya Jean Wiley, one sister, Audrey Lofton/Sanders and two brothers, James Daniel Wiley and Paul Adrian Wiley. He is survived by four grandchildren, Tiffany Wiley Miranda and husband Jim, Tammy Wiley Lofton and husband Bradley, Melissa Wiley Ward and husband Kenneth, and Daniel Rey Wiley and wife Kimberly; nine great grandchildren, Mercedes Brooke Miranda, Alexis Naya Miranda, Krislyn Joy Hudson, Katrina Marie Hudson, Kenneth Dwayne Hudson, Jr., Victoria Bethany Ward, Makenna Noel Ward, Damian Rey Wiley and Nova Marie Wiley and by many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be on Saturday, June 25, 2022 at First Apostolic Church, 14325 Highway 44 Gonzales, Louisiana, 70737 from 9:30 a.m. until religious service 11:30 a.m. Pallbearers will be Daniel Rey Wiley, Bradley Lofton, Kenneth Wayne Ward, Austin Sanders, Bruce Lofton, and Kenneth Hudson, Jr. Burial will be at the Galvez Pentecostal Church Cemetery, Cemetery Road, Gonzales, Louisiana 70737. Arrangements by Ourso Funeral Home.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.oursofh.com for the Wiley family.
