Portrait of Glenna Stamps. IMB Photo
Glenna Stamps, an International Mission Board missionary emeritus who shared the gospel in Ecuador, died Sep. 15, 2024, in Cedar Hill, Texas. She was 92.
Glenna was born March 20, 1932, in Hill County, Texas, to the late Glenn and Blanche Burt Morgan. She graduated from Hillsboro High School, Texas, and received the Bachelor of Science from Mary Hardin-Baylor College (now University of Mary Hardin-Baylor), Belton, Texas, and the Master of Religious Education from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary (now Gateway Seminary), Berkely, California.
Glenna grew up attending small, rural Baptist churches with her parents. When she was 10 years old, Glenna’s Sunday school teacher asked to speak to her after class. While seeking missionary appointment, Glenna wrote that, “At the touch of her hand on my shoulder, I began to cry and admitted my need of salvation.”
During the years following her conversion, Glenna was concerned about what to choose as her lifework. One Sunday, she heard a sermon encouraging young people to surrender their lives and dedicate their talents to Christ. Glenna wrote, “I was deeply stirred by this message…and dedicated my life for full-time Christian service as a missionary. I had never before considered doing this, but the call was unmistakable.”
During college, she spent her summers serving as a summer missionary in Arizona, Kansas and California with the Home Mission Board (now North American Mission Board). After college, she continued her preparation for the mission field by enrolling in seminary. She met Stanley Stamps, and they were married on May 21, 1955. Following seminary, Glenna taught school and worked in ministry alongside Stanley as he pastored several churches and served as the Director of Missions for the Mississippi Baptist Association.
In 1962, the International Mission Board appointed Stanley and Glenna missionaries to Ecuador, where they worked together in literature distribution, church planting and leadership training. They served with the IMB for almost 35 years.
Glenna was preceded in death by Stanley, her husband of 61 years; and her son Mark Kevin Stamps.
She is survived by her son Keith Stamps (Penny) of Corsicana, Texas; daughter Rhonda Cole (Lawrence) of Cedar Hill, Texas; daughter-in-law Nancy Jacobs of Garland, Texas; four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
A funeral service was held Sep. 21, at Hillcrest Baptist Church, with burial in Ridge Park Cemetery in Hillsboro.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Lottie Moon Offering, IMB, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA, 23230, or online at Generosity Resource Center – IMB Generosity.
Read an obituary here.