Leo Edward Weatherman, 1924-2021
IMB Photo

Leo Edward Weatherman, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Brazil, died Nov. 22, 2021. He was 97.

Weatherman was born July 11, 1924, in Sioux City, Iowa. His parents were the late Leslie O. and Harriet Louisa Bennett Weatherman. He graduated from Centennial High School in Pueblo, Colorado, and served in the U.S. Navy Seabees, mostly in the Pacific region, during World War II.

He married his childhood sweetheart, Dorothy Hiler, on Sept. 9, 1945. They lived in Pueblo for several years before moving to Albuquerque, New Mexico. He wrote when applying to be a missionary, that the real estate agent who sold them their first home there also invited them to visit her church. There, Leo and Dorothy made professions of faith in Christ and became active in the church. Leo wrote that he also felt the first tugging of the Holy Spirit to consider international missions.

A move across town led them to a new church, but the tugging of the Holy Spirit continued, he wrote. During a revival led by a missionary to Brazil, Leo finally felt a strong call to missions. When he made a public commitment, he wrote, “My wife looked at me and said, ‘I wondered when you were going to finally make a decision.’” She had felt the call, too.

But it would be several years before they became missionaries. Their daughter completed high school. Weatherman retired from his sales job and became a journeyman carpenter in Colorado. He received a diploma in theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, while continuing to work as a carpenter.

In 1978, the Weathermans were named missionaries to Brazil, to work with Brazilian Baptists’ camping program. He also led construction of prefab chapels that were taken into remote areas of Brazil and assembled by his crew and members of the chapel.

Formerly of Pilot Mountain, North Carolina, Weatherman was a member of Brim’s Grove Baptist Church there.

Weatherman was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Dorothy Mae Hiler Weatherman. He is survived by a daughter, Diana Ernest of Winston-Salem, North Carolina; a son, David Weatherman (Patricia) of Albuquerque; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A graveside service was held Nov. 27, 2021, at Pilot Mountain City Cemetery.

Donations in his memory may be made to the International Mission Board, c/o Development Department, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230, or online at Generosity Resource Center – IMB Generosity

Read an obituary here.