Dellanna West O’Brien, the first international missionary to serve as executive director of national WMU, died Sept. 7, in Frisco, Tex. She was 75.
Dellanna O’Brien“Dellanna O’Brien was one of the most amazing women I have ever known,” reflected Wanda Lee, O’Brien’s successor as executive director of WMU. “She possessed a deep love for the Lord and her family, and made countless sacrifices as she led WMU through 10 challenging years in our denomination. I will remember her as a great friend, leader, educator, innovator, and loving wife and mother – but most of all, as a humble and diligent servant of Christ and his mission.”
O’Brien assumed leadership of the national missions organization in 1989 and was instrumental in propelling WMU into the 21st century with new and innovative ways to engage a larger audience in missions. She led approximately 1.1 million women, girls and preschoolers in missions education and involvement. Also during her tenure, co-ed missions materials and three new co-ed missions organizations were begun: Adults on Mission, Youth on Mission, and Children in Action.
Many of WMU’s hands-on missions initiatives were also begun under O’Brien’s leadership, including Volunteer Connection, to plan and direct a volunteer program for hands-on missions experiences; Christian Women’s Job Corps, a ministry seeking to equip women for life and employment in a Christian context; WorldCrafts, a ministry that imports handmade crafts from impoverished artisans worldwide and markets them in the United States, providing these artisans with income for food, shelter, education, and medicine; and Project HELP, which gives awareness and visibility to a specific social and moral issue and ties in local, national, and international projects to assist the church in addressing the designated issue.
Several other firsts include WMU assuming responsibilities from the International Mission Board to arrange housing for missionaries while on stateside assignment; assuming responsibilities from the Brotherhood Commission for Pure Water, Pure Love, a ministry that provides water filters and purification systems to missionaries; creating a separate department within WMU for New Hope Publishers to give focus to publishing under the New Hope imprint; combining Baptist Women and Baptist Young Women organizations with a new name, Women on Mission, and renaming the WMU publication Royal Service to Missions Mosaic; and establishing the WMU Foundation to help secure WMU’s financial future by providing for the mission and ministries of WMU.
“A woman of great vision, Dellanna was a servant leader with a natural desire and deep commitment and calling to serve others,” said June Whitlow, who served as an associate executive director for national WMU alongside O’Brien.
A native of Wichita Falls, Tex., O’Brien earned a bachelor of science degree from Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Tex., and worked as an elementary school teacher from 1953-1963. For the next nine years, she served with her husband Bill and their children as missionaries to Indonesia. While there, she taught English and piano at a seminary in Semarang. Upon returning to the United States, O’Brien earned a master’s degree from Texas Christian University and a doctorate from Virginia Tech. She also received honorary degrees from Hardin-Simmons University, the University of Richmond and Judson College.
O’Brien suffered a stroke in 1998, but continued to serve WMU faithfully until her retirement in 1999, when WMU established the Dellanna West O’Brien Leadership Award as a way to honor O’Brien and her legacy.
Survivors include her husband, who served as an executive with the Foreign Mission Board and later as a missions professor.
Memorials may be made to the WMU Foundation, 100 Missionary Ridge, Birmingham, Ala. 35242; or the Dellanna O’Brien Chair for the School of Social Work at Baylor University, c/o WMU Foundation, 100 Missionary Ridge, Birmingham, AL 35242.