Nancy Brooke Kelley Oliphint

Nancy Brooke Kelley Oliphint was born January 3, 1927 in Alexandria, Louisiana and died of natural causes February 18, 2009 in Dallas, Texas. A graduate of Bolton High School, Alexandria, she attended Ward-Belmont College in Nashville. She graduated from Louisiana State University, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma. A resident of Houston since 1984, she was a member of PEO, Chapter BB. As a life-long United Methodist and member of United Methodist Women, she served alongside her husband, Ben Oliphint, at United Methodist churches in Monroe, Alexandria and Baton Rouge, and at First United Methodist Church, Dallas. Upon his being elected a bishop in 1980, they together served the Kansas and Houston areas. Nancy's kitchen was legendary. Countless persons have been served scrumptious meals and affirmed by her gracious hospitality. Hundreds have been comforted in time of need by her loaves of hot homemade bread. Multitudes have ecstatically discovered a "foretaste of glory divine" in her magnificent desserts. When her family gathered around her table, it was as close to heaven on earth as possible. Nancy set a eucharistic table of graciousness and welcome; her Christ-like compassion and genuine concern for others will warm and inspire us always. She was preceded in death by her parents John and Mary Kelley, brother John Pegues Kelley, husband Bishop Ben Oliphint, and son Kelley Oliphint. She is survived by daughter Mary Brooke Casad and husband, Victor of Carrollton; son Stuart Oliphint and wife, Cassandra of Fort Worth; son Clayton Oliphint and wife, Lori of Dallas; daughter-in-law Priscilla Oliphint of La Grange, and grandchildren McCrae and wife, Melissa, and Carter Casad; Alex Coats and Irene and Lillian Oliphint; Erin, Katy and Grant Oliphint; Ben Oliphint, and great-grandsons Revol and Patrick Casad, and many other beloved family members. Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, February 23 at Greenwood Cemetery in Pineville, Louisiana, followed by a reception at First United Methodist Church, Alexandria from 11 a.m. to noon. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 24 at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, Houston. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to the Nancy Oliphint Playground, Lakeview Conference Center, 400 Private Rd. 6036, Palestine, TX 75801-4350; Benjamin R. Oliphint Scholarship of the Methodist Global Education Fund for Leadership Development, 1 Music Circle North, P.O. Box 340029, Nashville, TN 37203-0029; Kelley Oliphint Healing Garden, St. Mark's Medical Center Foundation, One St. Mark's Place, La Grange, TX 78945 or St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 3471 Westheimer, Houston, TX 77227. "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband too, and he praises her: Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all." Proverbs 31: 28-29 Nancy Oliphint