Nisa Allena (Walker) Crutchfield Obituary (1943 - 2022)

Nisa Allena Crutchfield, 78, of DeLand, Florida, passed away Tuesday, March 9, at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. She was born August 4, 1943, in La Salud, Cuba, the first child of George and Betty Walker, Plymouth Brethren missionaries originally from Scotland and Ireland. A private committal service was recently held in the new Chapel of Light at the J. Herman Humphrey Dignity Cremation Center by Humphrey Funeral Service. After completing 8th grade in Cuba, Nisa continued her high school education in Colorado and Chicago, leaving home at the age of 13 to live with her aunts, Margaret Walker and Mabel Eadie. She attended Stetson University and obtained her bachelor's degree in both Spanish and Secondary Education, and later a Master's degree in English Literature. She was able to utilize this training, along with a lifetime of immersion in Bible and cross-cultural engagement, in lifelong ministry in Hong Kong, the Philippines, China, and Cuba. On December 22, 1967, Nisa married Sheldon, embarking on a lifetime partnership of working together for the cause of Christ among the nations - specifically, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Cuba - though they frequently traveled to other parts of the world in the cause of building the Kingdom of God through teaching, encouraging believers, and sharing the Gospel. In 1974, Hollywood Bible Chapel, in Hollywood, Florida, commended her and Sheldon to the work of the Lord in Hong Kong where they established their lives, undertaking a work that became the hallmark of their legacy: offering hospitality, practical and emotional support to the disenfranchised, and welcoming all who sought their help with kindness and love. In 1975, Nisa (and Sheldon) welcomed their first child, Catherine, via adoption, in Hong Kong, followed by the natural arrival of daughter Sarah in 1976. In 1984, they welcomed a foster son, Paul, to the family, who was 9 years old at the time. In addition to these three children, many others considered Nisa (and Sheldon) their parents, including but not limited to Danny and Elizabeth Martinez of the Philippines, Nora Magallones, Andrew and Tina Vo, Thuyet 'Tara' Nguyen, Evelyn Lawas, and many, many others. Nisa was preceded in death by her parents, George and Betty Walker, her sister, Lydia Davis, her brother-in-law, Jack Davis, and her aunts, Mabel Eadie and Margaret Walker (who acted as parents for her in her teenage years while her parents continued their ministry in Cuba). Survivors include her children: Cathy (Matt) Young of Russellville, Arkansas; Sarah (Sam) Logan of West Chicago, Illinois; and Paul (Deidre) Winterhalter of Warrenville, Illinois; her grandchildren: Caleb (20), Priscilla (19), Timothy (15), Andrew (13), Hannah (10) of the Logan family, and Emilie (16), Nathalie (14), and Sebastien (10) of the Young family. She is also survived by her cousin, Barbara Medeiros, and her nephew Benjamin Davis. A Memorial service will be held at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 811 Orange Camp Road, DeLand, Florida, 32724, on Saturday, April 30 at 2:00 PM. A burial service will be held at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elmwood, Illinois at a later date. Memorials may be made to CMML for the work of the Lord in the Philippines. Christian Missions in Many Lands P.O. Box 13 Spring Lake, NJ 07762-0013 Designation for: CMPI-Danny and Elizabeth Martinez Online link: https://www.cmml.us/donate