Virginia M. Olmstead

Virginia Martha Olmstead, 91 years of age, entered the presence of her Savior on August 27, 2021. Virginia was the youngest of seven children born to Julius and Elsie Carlson on October 19, 1929. She considered the Christian heritage of her parents and grandparents to be a true privilege.

Born and raised in Bellevue, Virginia met the love of her life, Albert Wayne Olmstead at a local ball game. They were married in 1950. The Lord blessed Mom and Dad Olmstead with three children, Drake (Jan) Olmstead, Tamara (Bob) Bosserd, and Mitch (Dena) Olmstead, all currently residing in the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek area.

Mom and Dad treasured the family the Lord had given them, and each member that was added to the family felt that love. After Dad's passing in 2009, Mom's six grandchildren, Nicholas (Marie) Olmstead, Laura (Austin) Holland, Holly (Edgar) Wharton, Nathaniel (Christina) Bosserd, Jonathan (Holly) Bosserd and Hannah (Adam) Murray, gave Mom the opportunity to expand her family circle even wider to include Amelia, Wyatt, ArborLynn, Elijah, Ezra, Ezekiel, Eden, Noah, Henry, Lila, Caroline, Alexander, Betty and Daniel, with another precious little one due to arrive this year.

Mom enjoyed the outdoors all her life. Nature and all its beauty was a constant source of pleasure to her, and she loved sharing outdoor activities with her family, camping and boating in Michigan's lakes, parks and woods. The natural beauty all around her was simply another opportunity to praise her Lord for His creation.

Mom had a great love for people. Everyone she met was someone with whom she shared a smile and a kind word, encouraging each one as best she could.
How do you sum up a life in a few words? In Virginia's case it can be condensed into her three loves:

Her Lord Jesus

Her family and

The people God sent her way

Visitation will be Monday, August 30, 2021 at the Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, Battle Creek, MI at 12:00 p.m., immediately followed by a memorial service in celebration of Virginia's life at 1:00 p.m. Pastor Steven Zantjer, Green Meadow Bible Baptist Church-Kalamazoo, officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Bellevue, MI after the service.

Memorial donations in Virginia's honor may be made to her home church – Calvary Baptist Church, Battle Creek, MI. Personal messages for the family may be placed at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.