Mary Ellen Warren

Mary Ellen Warren 98, of Taos, New Mexico, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her children on Saturday, February 14.

Mary Ellen was born September 28, 1927, on the Sierra Grande Ranch near Des Moines, NM to William Edmund and Naomi Ann James. Her childhood was centered around family, church and working on the ranch. She attended schools in Des Moines, NM graduating as Valedictorian from Des Moines High School in 1945. She and her family were active in the First Baptist Church of Des Moines. She learned the values of hard work and being grateful for what she had being raised during the Great Depression. She learned skills of gardening and care of the ranch animals and stepping up to the plate to help when her older brother served our country during World War II and became a POW. Those days were hard on the family. They relied on their faith to help them through those days.

Upon graduation from high school, she enrolled in Eastern New Mexico University (ENMU) in Portales, NM where she attended for a couple of years. The health of her mother caused her to drop out of college and return to the ranch and helped in a family transition to Clayton, NM. When the family situation improved, she returned to school, but this time to Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX. In Abilene she attended Immanuel Baptist Church. Mary Ellen met David because they went to the same church and were in Training Union together. He furnished transportation from the church to the dorm for the University young ladies. She was one of them, and in late May 1949, they were engaged to be married. In December 1949, Mary Ellen and David were married at the First Baptist Church of Clayton, NM. They moved to Portales where both entered ENMU, but she returned to graduate from Hardin-Simmons, in May 1950.

Mary Ellen and David always had a strong call to God’s ministry and work. Mary Ellen served as a Summer Worker for the Baptist General Convention of New Mexico and after they married, both served together in NM another summer.

David continued at ENMU and was ordained by Calvary Baptist Church in Portales, NM. Mary Ellen and David both later graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX in 1961. Mary Ellen graduated with a Masters of Religious Education and later she did graduate work at the University of Tulsa earning a teaching certificate.

Within a few years, Mary Ellen and David felt the call of God to service with American Indians in Oklahoma. The family moved to Walters, OK and were appointed in 1956 as jointly appointed missionaries with the Southern Baptist Home Mission Board and the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. Over the course of the years they served at First Indian Baptist Mission in Walters, OK; Indian Baptist Mission in Lawton, OK; Bowen Place Indian Mission in Tulsa, OK and Memorial Indian Baptist Church in Lawton, OK. In 1974 the Warrens felt God’s call to serve not only the American Indians in Oklahoma, but now to include the Spanish speaking congregations, and the international congregations, mostly Asia congregations and the Asian population in Oklahoma. By 1979 the work had expanded and the Warrens relocated to Oklahoma City to be more centrally located.

Mary Ellen continued strong family ties caring for aging parents until the time of their deaths in 1978 and 1981.

In Oklahoma City Mary Ellen became the director of the Good Shepherd Ministries, an outreach ministry of the First Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, OK where she helped the ministry to the inner-city population.

Mary Ellen taught Sunday School in various Southern Baptist churches through the years, first to children and then to ladies, and later in life to senior adult women. When retirement finally set in, Mary Ellen and David become active members in Capitol Hills Baptist Church in southwest Oklahoma including teaching Sunday School.

Through the years she was active outside the church in PTA in her children’s schools. She was a substitute teacher and taught ESL or English as a second language to internationals in our country. After she and David raised their children, and kidding their own children that it didn’t seem like any grandchildren were on the way, they decided to become foster children to two Vietnamese refugee boys, ages 10 and 20 who spoke no English. “Mother” as the boys would call her, helped with learning English and homework for this new generation of Americans.

Mary Ellen was gifted with talent of sewing, both for her family and others. She enjoyed making quilts and using that skill in volunteer work for South Community Hospital in Oklahoma City making baby caps for newborn boys and baby bonnets for newborn girls logging in over 12,000 hours in that service across many, many years.

After David’s death and her stroke, Mary Ellen made the move back to her Land of Enchantment in 2012 and has lived in Taos since then. She continued family involvement and travel as possible and her volunteer work for the for South Community Hospital in Oklahoma City mailing completed caps and bonnets back to the hospital. She become an active member of First Baptist Church, Taos until the Covid pandemic and for the last five years watching services remotely of the church and of First Baptist Church of Roswell, GA.

After giving up driving at 95, with the help of TENT she remained able to make doctors appointment and physical therapy.

Mary Ellen was preceded in death by her parents, William Edmund James, Sr and Naomi Ann (Bowles), her husband of 58 years, Reverend David B. Warren, three brothers, Baby James, William Edmund James, Jr and Kenneth Wayne James; son-in-law, Carl Eugene Herndon, granddaughter, Alyceann Warren Steimling.

She is survived by a family, all of which she was proud; her children: Dr. Ellen R. Warren and husband Edwin Steimling of Taos, NM; Bert Herndon of Vero Beach, FL; James D. Warren and husband Gary Mather of Montgomery, AL; Viet Nguyen and wife Tran of Oklahoma City, OK; Binh Nguyen of Placentia, CA; Grandchildren: Candice R. Bouschor, Missoula, MT; William J. Warren and wife Anita, West Union, SC; Jason E. Herndon and wife Brittnay of Grey Court, SC; Edwin C. W. Steimling and wife Hanna of Rochester, NY; David G. Warren and wife Katie of Marietta, GA; Molly Nguyen and husband Coty Lee of Oklahoma City; Kevin Nguyen of Oklahoma City; Cindy Nguyen of Placentia, CA; Ryan Nguyen of Placentia, CA; Great Grandchildren: Alastair E. Bouschor of Missoula, MT; and Saffiya Nguyen of Oklahoma City, OK and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.

The family would also like to say a special thank you to caregiver and friend, LouAnn Romo of Taos and to Taos Elders and Neighbors Together (TENT) for helping with transportation needs in Mary Ellen’s last few years; and Holy Cross Hospital ER, ICU and Med Surg doctors and nursing staff during the care of our mother.

A funeral service will take place at 11:00am Tuesday, February 17 at First Baptist Church, Taos, NM; If you are unable to join in person, you may join us at https://youtube.com/live/ZS_CbtCLj28?feature=share

A graveside side and burial will be held at 1:00pm Friday, February 27 at Resthaven Cemetery, SW 104th Street and S. Western Ave in Oklahoma City, OK.

The family of Mary Ellen Warren has entrusted the care of their loved one to the caring staff of DeVargas Funeral Home of Taos, NM. www.devargastaos.com 1-866-657-4019 and Vondel L. Smith & Son Mortuary - South Western Ave Location in Oklahoma City, OK. www.vondelsmithmortuary.com/vondel-smith-mortuary-south-western 1-405-634-1439

The family requests in lieu of flowers that memorial gifts in her honor be given to:

Organ Fund at First Baptist Church, Roswell, GA; 710 Mimosa Boulevard, Roswell, GA, 30075. Please note Organ Fund – Mary Ellen Warren on the memo line of your check.

Oklahoma Baptist Children’s Home; OBHC, 300 Johnny Bench Drive, Suite 450, Oklahoma City, OK 73104.

New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home; NMBCH; P.O. Box 629; Portales, NM 88130.

Taos Elders and Neighbors Together (TENT) C/O Taos Community Foundation, PO Box 1925, Taos, NM 87571. Please note designation on the memo line of your check.