Born in Fort Worth, Texas on September 17, 1944, Nancy Ellen Dalton Olmsted was descended from ancestors who distinguished themselves as fighters for the freedom of Texas from Mexico and also counted among its sons gifted Primitive Baptist preachers.  Nan is survived by two sisters, Barbara Jones and Penny McCoy and their families living in Fort Worth/Dallas area.  She graduated from Polytechnic High School of Fort Worth and earned her B.A. Degree in journalism at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

The determined girl who overcame severe spinal deformity as a twelve year old, sensed the leading of God to serve Him as the S.B.C. Foreign Mission Board was seeking a person who could manage information, publicity, news stories, and promote the complex ministries at the front door of Communist China.  With numerous churches, a hospital, college, schools for children, and connections to other programs in the orient, there was always a need or celebration to herald.  Nan became the voice of information, celebration, and challenge.

At the conclusion of those busy two years Nan came home to Ft. Worth, Texas and discovered that Southwestern Seminary was looking for a person to manage their publicity and information channels to the world.  So Nan became both an employee and part-time student, managing and writing for seminary and community periodicals.  No one could have imagined that the gifted young writer from Texas and Hong Kong would meet the love of her life at Southwestern Seminary and find joy in serving churches in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, New Mexico, California, and finally at University Heights Baptist Church in Springfield, MO.

Wherever Nan went she found people to love and encourage as she so capably joined her husband in faithful ministry.  She was a leader in "First Place" helping women to live healthy through diet and exercise, a discussion leader in Beth Moore Bible Studies, served on the Missouri Baptist Convention executive board, was a writer and board member for the Missouri Baptist Convention magazine "Word and Way", and was a featured speaker at women's events, and authored several books.

Nan was preceded in death by her parents, Reuben and Bess Dalton.

In addition to the sadness of her husband, Michael, Nan leaves behind a daughter, Andrea and husband, Ryan Freeman, plus their children, Rylee, Bailey, A.J. and Chloe; and a son, Michael Olmsted, II and his wife, Amy, plus their children, Ashlyn, Lakyn and Chandler and his wife, Moira and their children, Westley and Tatum.

Our hearts are broken, but the parting is only for a time until God welcomes us all home!

Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, January 11, 2024 in University Heights Baptist Church. Online condolences may be left at gormanscharpf.com.

In lieu of flowers donatiions can be made to Ministries of the Council of Churches at 3055 E. Division St, Springfield, MO 65802, or University Heights Baptist Church at 1010 S. National Ave, Springfield, MO 65804.