Nancy Marie Ross was born on July 16, 1955 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of 4 daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. Roy and Reba Brown. She grew up as the daughter of a Southern Baptist minister.

There was a custom in the Brown household that on Saturday evening at dinner everyone had to share a scripture that they had memorized that week. Nancy did admit that just before dinner on Saturdays she was often found looking for a short scripture to memorize and be ready when Dad called on her!! This was the foundation for her love for the Word of God. When we asked about her her favorite scripture, she was quick to say that she loved ALL of GOD’s WORD!!

When Nancy was 6 yrs old, her mother died and she grew up in a house full of girls, becoming very independent.

In 1990 Dana & Nancy moved to Arizona in obedience to God along with two other couples to start a new ministry totally trusting God. They had not been in Arizona long when Nancy was diagnosed with breast cancer and then Valley Fever. This was a challenging time for Nancy as they were in a new place and the team had started new jobs and none of them could spend a lot of time with her. Nancy said that this time of sickness really helped her to walk through some of the selfishness that she’d struggled with in her life.

She was a fighter – with much strength and perseverance. She had a dream and a call to fulfill. She knew at age 6 that God had called her to be a missionary. In 1995 a prophesy came to Dana & Nancy that they were “wearing the wrong armor”. They were told to – GO TO THE NATIONS. It was not long before Dana & Nancy were selling literally everything they owned and going to their DTS. God gave both of them a heart for Asia – and then more specifically for Thailand. She served the Lord in the USA, Philippines, Ukraine, India and of course – her beloved Thailand.

Beginning with the doctor’s diagnosis of ovarian cancer in January 2003 Nancy battled heroically for 2 years in steadfast faith in His goodness and mercy even in the midst of great pain. She continued to believe for healing and asked everyone to pray for that.

At dawn on November 19, 2004 at the age of 49 years old, Nancy joined that great cloud of witnesses that we read about in Hebrews 12. She had fought the good fight and finished her race. She is now cheering each of us on to greater intimacy with God. Nancy really enjoyed sports – she knew how to cheer people on to victory…Nancy and those with her cheer us onward in our race.

Nancy died as she lived…fighting for her life persevering through sickness and pain increasing intimacy with God worshipping her Savior whom she loved crying out for salvation for the people of Thailand.

We saw modeled in her life – joy, faithfulness, generosity, courage, and incredible perseverance. She left those of us who loved her with precious memories of her joy for living, her infectious laugh and her radiant smile.

All through these last two years she had said that IF she was going to die, then she wanted to do so in Thailand.

Today we remember Nancy as a woman of God who valued intimacy with God as top priority, our dear friend and co-worker, singer, songwriter and a worshipper of God.