June Carter Canavesio was born June 12, 1931, to W.W. and Ruby Cates Carter in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia and passed into her eternal rest and reward on Tuesday March 12, 2024, in Bethany, Oklahoma at the age of 92 years and nine months. She was raised in Virginia. Early on, she was taught to have a deep devotion to Go and the Church. She was born again before her sixth birthday and baptized with the Holy Spirit when she was ten years old. She lived her entire life devoted to Christ.
June earned an AA Degree from Emmanuel College (Franklin Springs, GA), a BA Degree from Roanoke College (VA) and completed postgraduate work at the University of North Carolina. While teaching at Emmanuel College, during a campus prayer meeting, June received a distinct, definite call to be a missionary to Spanish-speaking people.
Beginning when she was 23 years old and single, her missionary career included assignments in Texas/Mexico as co-founder and director of the Berea Bible Institute, teaching in Monterey, Mexico and later in Argentina and Costa Rica. She established and directed CURSUM (Advanced Minsterial Training Program for Latin America)
June married Elvio Canavesio on May 14, 1988. They moved to Miami, Florida, where she continued to direct CURSUM until her retirement in 1999. After their retirement, Elvio and June moved to South Carolina and became directors of the South Carolina Conference Hispanic Ministries, establishing 12 new Hispanic churches in 12 years. They moved to Oklahoma City in 2013.
She assisted Elvio in writing and publishing, Lord, How Did You Do It? – a history of his call and missionary service. On the day of her passing, she was delivered the first copy of her own book, Joyfully Committed – a true missionary story of God’s grace to a young lady through adventures, trials and triumphs. It, too, is a historical account of her life of dedicated service to God and the IPHC and is dedicated to “The Awakening” (youth mission program of the IPHC).
June was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Reva Kesling and Frances Carter; her beloved husband, Elvio; and son-in-law, Danny Nix. She is survived by her daughter, Esther Nix; son, David Canavesio (Jenee); four grandchildren, Bryan Nix (Whitney), Seth Nix (Madeline), Emily Canavesio Herron (Kitt) and Andrew Canavesio; three great-grandchildren, Galia and Elizabeth Nix and Gia Herron; and several other relatives and a host of friends, including many Spanish-speaking Christians who were impacted by her missionary and teaching ministry.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to “The Awakening” 91495P at https://give.iphc.org/project/awakening-base-midwest-ministry or send to World Missions, PO Box 270420, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73137.
When asked what she wanted inscribed on her headstone, June simply replied “A missionary to the Spanish People.”
Visitation for June will be held on Friday, March 15, 2024, from 1 – 8 PM at Buchanan Funeral Service, 8712 N Council Rd. Oklahoma City, OK 73132. The funeral service will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at Passion Church, 3301 N Council Rd. Bethany, OK 73008.
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