Lloydene Dorothy Umstot Balyeat

Born September 18^th, 1925, in Hutchinson, Kansas to Lloyd and Helen Umstot and went “Home” on December 31^st, 2021, in Duncanville, Texas. Lloydene enjoyed telling people she was older than sliced bread.

Lloydene gave her life to Christ at the age of eight, surrendered to God’s call to mission at sixteen and never looked back.

She met Kent Windsor Balyeat at Ottawa University in Kansas, and married September 3^rd, 1946. They had four children, Michael Kent, Merry Carol, David Brent, and Susan Elaine.

Responding to God’s call to go, they were appointed by the Foreign Mission Board in 1961. After a year of language school in Costa Rica they moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, arriving there October 21st, 1962.

While Kent’s ministry was centered around the school of music at the Baptist Theological Seminary in Buenos Aires, Lloydene’s ministry in the neighborhood included candle classes, cooking classes, decorating for weddings, wedding dresses, banquets, cakes etc. She sewed pants for students at the school across the street, made the vests and ties for the seminary choir, sold her candles to help neighbors in need, and much more.

In 1983 Kent was killed in a tragic accident in Buenos Aires. When Lloydene was asked if she would be leaving the field and return to the USA where her children and extended family were, she told the International Mission Board representative, “I was called to missions before Kent was, I’m staying!”

Remaining on the field, she served as the dietitian of the seminary cafeteria where she prepared daily meals for the student body, earning her the title of “Mami”. Her duties included trips to the city market where she found ministry opportunities with each vendor.

In 1988 she retired from the IMB and began working at the World Mission Center of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX where she remained for 19 years. She retired at the ripe age of 81. While at the seminary, she participated on mission trips with students to Mexico and Russia.

Lloydene never doubted God and never wavered in her belief, and recently expressed how grateful she was to Him for all the people she met and the relationships she established, some that were decades in the making. It was these long-lasting relationships that were her dearest treasure. She was grateful to God for all she had been able to accomplish and for each day she enjoyed His creation. She especially loved sunsets, yellow roses, trees, cooking and most of all, serving all who came across her path.

Lloydene is preceded in death by her sister, Joy Rice, her daughter Merry Carol and her husband Kent Windsor. She is survived by her children, Michael, David and Susan. Eight grandchildren, Nathan, Kirsten and Justin Balyeat, Mehdi Keshtkar, Alicia Morcillo, Cristina Plunk, David Michael Balyeat, and Liliana Barnes. Fourteen great grandchildren, Chloe, Robert, Jacob, Jessica, Kenzi, Olivia, Piper, Diego, Julia, Leandro, Nicolás, Charlie, Ellie and Camila.

Lloydene’s favorite passage of scripture was the story when Jesus calmed the storm. Her confidence that she could face the storms of life never faltered because she knew who she was and who she had given her life to, her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In lieu of flowers you may send a tax-deductible contribution to NMV International at www.nmvglobal.org or by check to NMV International, 2912 Little Rd. Arlington, TX 76016.

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