Frances Elaine (Cook) Olmstead

Frances Elaine (Cook) Olmstead, 81, of Mulberry, Indiana passed away peacefully on November 9, 2022, at Mulberry Health & Rehabilitation.

Born in Lafayette, Indiana on August 10, 1941, Frances was the daughter of James Russell and Louise Virginia (Glick) Cook.  In April 1967, she married Irvin Theodore “Ted” Olmstead, and they later divorced.

After graduating from Rossville High School in 1959, Frances graduated from Indiana Business School in 1960 and attended Pensacola Junior College in 1974 and 1975.

Frances enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps on May 13, 1961, graduated from basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, in July 1961, and graduated from the Women’s Army Corps Clerical School as the highest-ranking member of her class in September 1961.  While serving in the Women’s Army Corps, she was assigned to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and then was assigned as Receptionist for the Secretary of the Army.  She completed her tour of duty on May 10, 1963.

Frances’ Civil Service career began in February 1964 when she was hired by the Department of the Army, Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, Budget Division.  During her 30 years of service, she held significant assignments within the Internal Revenue Service, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Department of Defense.  She was reassigned to the United States Atlantic Command in June 1989, where she worked for the Logistics Directorate, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Mobilization and Reserve Affairs, the Plans and Policy Directorate and the Comptroller in the Program Planning and Assessment Directorate.

Frances was a member of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, and American Legion Post #12, where she served as Past Commander.

Survived by her children, Michelle (Olmstead) Slate, Michael Olmstead and wife Kelly, and Dawn (Olmstead) Michael and husband Jeremy; grandchildren, Madison, McKenzie, Kaylee and Kason Olmstead and Brooke and Blake Michael; brother, Richard Cook; and sisters, Evelyn (Cook) Donahue and Norma (Cook) Miller.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Julia Cook.

Visitation will be Sunday, November 13, 2022, from 1:00 p.m. until the start of the funeral service at 2:00 p.m. at Genda Funeral Home~Mulberry Chapel.  Burial with military honors will follow in Fair Haven Cemetery.  Memorials in Frances’ name may be made to Women’s Memorial Foundation, Dept. 560, Washington, DC 20042-0560 or American Legion Post #12, 451 W. Clinton Street, Frankfort, IN  46041.