Nina Alice (nee Manning) Olmsted, 98, of Jerseyville, passed away in her sleep on the morning of Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at Alton Memorial Rehab and Therapy in Alton, IL.
Nina was born on July 27, 1926, near Fieldon, IL, as the oldest child of the late Bruce Waite and Dorothy (nee Clark) Manning.
Nina always loved everything about life and the wonders of God’s world, and she lived a life of small adventures. She worked from a young age, including at the Grafton movie theater, which encouraged her lifelong love of cinema. Because Grafton’s education ended at the 11th grade, Nina chose to move to California to get to know her paternal grandmother and attended Hayward High School, from which she graduated on D-Day, June 6th, 1944.
After returning briefly to Grafton, Nina moved to Chicago, where she lived in a North Sheridan Road rooming house for women and worked in downtown Chicago as a secretary and a clothing model at department stores. Nina told marvelous stories about her friends from this era and, in later years, remembered dancing a million miles in her lifetime.
After a few years in Chicago, she returned to Grafton and worked at Pere Marquette Lodge as the Hostess, where she met and, on Dec. 3, 1947, married Donald Edwin Olmsted, the nephew of Stanley and Mary Gill, who owned the Lodge’s concession. The Lodge remained a touchstone for family and friends.
After several moves, Nina and Donald settled in Albuquerque, NM, in 1957, and Nina embraced the challenges of raising her children many miles from extended family. Nina and Donald returned to Illinois in 1966, living in Jerseyville and then LaSalle until retiring to Jerseyville in 1988.
Nina’s greatest adventure and great love of her life was being a wife and mother. Using her copies of Meta Given Cookbooks’ household and nutrition tips and recipes, Nina mastered these endeavors. She loved cooking Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and her potato salad and Pasta Alla Caprese are legendary.
Meanwhile, Nina fed her eager and curious mind by reading voraciously, writing a little while dreaming of writing more, and analyzing world events through perceptive study and thought. Her keen sense of humor and joyous, infectious laugh were wondrous to share. She loved her garden of Irises, Day Lilies, and every blooming, growing thing in God’s Good Creation. Nina’s devotion to excellence and desire to be a good Christian inspired friends and family, and her mantra for loving the world and life was and will remain “Have Hope!”
Nina is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Marjorie (nee Manning) Klug, brothers Dennis L. Manning and Robert B. Manning, and dear friends Tony and Jo Romano.
Nina is survived by her brother Loyal Clark Manning of Long Lane, MO; her children, Candice Farmer of Marble Falls, TX, Bruce (Barb) Olmsted of Dow, IL, and Sandra L. Olmsted, PhD, of St. Louis, MO; and grandchildren Stanley “Stan” R. Farmer and his wife, Julie McGehee Farmer, of Horseshoe Bay, TX; Matt (Kelly) Olmsted of Alton, Jennifer (John) Fox and Julie Olmsted (David Dwyer) all of Jerseyville as well as 8 Great Grandchildren: Amber R. Farmer of Morganton, NC, Sierra R. Farmer of Austin, TX, Emersyn, Everly, and Elowynn Olmsted of Alton, and Nolan, Sydney, and Lane Fox of Jerseyville.
In addition, Nina is survived by many nieces and nephews, especially Melody Manning, with whom Nina shared shopping adventures; Dorothy Manning, Scott and Zdenka Manning, Mary Morley, and Bill Klug; and numerous friends, who dearly loved her, especially Judy Holmes and the Bunco Ladies.
Visitation will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2025 at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville.
Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 12 p.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Jerseyville with burial immediately following at Oak Grove Cemetery in Jerseyville.
In Lieu of or in Addition to Flowers, Donations can be given in Nina’s name to any charity Nina would love.
Memories may be shared with the family by visiting www.crawfordfunerals.com
#Nina #Alice #Olmsted
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