AIC Warrior News
Remembering Rev. Donald R. Ramsey






President of All Tribes Bible School 1965-1978
Recently I was contacted by our Campus President, Dr. Jonathan Gannon and asked if I could assist with writing up a remembrance of former President Donald Ramsey who served as President from 1965-1978 of (then) All Tribes Bible School[1] Although not unexpected since I knew that Brother Ramsey had been in declining health these last few years, I had the sense that a real “giant of the faith” had passed from the scene. Although I provide some biographical detail on his life, I have also taken the liberty to intersperse some of my own reflections since I had the honor of knowing this outstanding missionary educator. I also had the joy of working with him in the late 1990’s (during my tenure as Academic Dean) when he briefly returned to teach for us part-time before retiring and moving back to Oklahoma. Brother Ramsey impacted my life immeasurably and demonstrated what a sacrificial, consecrated Christian life looked like.
Born in Wewoka, Oklahoma on October 30, 1932, Brother Ramsey passed to his heavenly reward on September 20, 2025 in Seminole, Oklahoma at the age of 92. He was preceded in death by his wife Virginia and two of his daughters Rebecca Ramsey and Donna MonBarren. He is survived by two sons Stephen Ramsey and David Ramsey as well as his brother Jim Ramsey and his sister Shirley Patton. Brother Ramsey is also survived by five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild! Funeral services were held on Wednesday September 24, 2025 at Prague Assembly of God in Prague, Oklahoma.
President Ramsey served as President of All Tribes Bible School from 1965-1978, following the founder, Rev. Alta Washburn who was delighted that Brother Ramsey who had served as an educator for several years and held a master’s degree would be able to step into that role. Rev. Ramsey was the first leader of the school to have the title of President. Prior to his time at ATBS, Brother Ramsey taught on the Navajo Reservation at Greasewood. I remember he liked to tell people that when he went there he was given a classroom of boarding school children, many of whom were only about five years old and spoke no English. At that time, President Ramsey spoke no Navajo so he was really challenged with how to communicate with these children! Thankfully, he learned some of the Navajo language so he could better serve his students.
While living in that area, President Ramsey found the time to also establish two churches on the Navajo reservation and he reported “During those seven years, I baptized at least a hundred new converts before we moved to Phoenix to our new responsibilities at ATBS.”[2] One of President Ramsey’s great contributions to this school was that he brought a strong knowledge of the culture, language, and traditions of some of the Native peoples he had worked with, particularly the Navajo. This coupled with his educational background made him a viable candidate to lead the Bible school. During his time as President, Brother Ramsey busied himself with transitioning the school from an educational outreach of All Tribes Assemby of God to a regional school of the Assemblies of God. He worked hard to upgrade the curriculum, obtain qualified faculty, make arrangements for the employment of the students, and continue much of the earlier educational efforts begun under Rev. Washburn, the school’s founder. He also required all students to become involved in choir singing at local Native churches and was instrumental in starting the Tribalaires, a traveling singing group of the school’s students. President Ramsey was also instrumental in helping to lay the beginning foundation for the school to become regionally accredited through his tireless efforts.[3] No doubt one of his most significant accomplishments was helping to acquire the property where the present campus of Nelson American Indian College is now located.
President Emeritus, Dr. David Moore knew President Ramsey well and had this to say about him and his unceasing efforts to improve the Bible school:
President Ramsey was a humble leader who was also self-deprecating. He was compassionate, showing genuine concern for students and faculty and staff with whom he served. Perhaps because he was unassuming and never directed attention to himself I don’t think he ever received the recognition he deserved.[4]
In the years following President Ramsey’s departure from American Indian Bible Institute in 1978, he remained active as an educator serving for a time at Far North Bible College in Alaska, then returned for several years as a full-time faculty member at AIBI. He and Virginia continued in their pastoral and evangelistic work as well among Native people in the Phoenix Metro area.
In the late 1990’s, the Ramsey’s returned to their beloved home state of Oklahoma where Brother Ramsey continued to teach part-time at Seminole State College, and later substitute taught for Seminole High School before Virginia’s health required him to step down from those activities.
President Moore’s previous comments underscored President Ramsey’s pastoral concern. I myself remember back in 1999 being hospitalized for a kidney stone. By then President Ramsey had moved back to Oklahoma, but ever the compassionate minister, he called to check on me which I so appreciated, but I appreciated it even more when I found out that at the time he called he was in the hospital himself being treated for gall stones! Yes, that was “vintage Don Ramsey” putting others before himself. I have never forgotten that phone call and I will forever prize his pastoral concern on my behalf.
In summary, Nelson AIC has lost a valuable member of our past history, one who skillfully balanced the roles of pastor, educator, and college president. Don Ramsey was a great friend and champion of the Indian people and he will be sorely missed, yet our loss is surely Heaven’s gain!
Joseph J. Saggio, Ed.D.
Professor Emeritus
Nelson AIC
[1]The original name of the school was All Tribes Bible School, but the name was changed in 1967 to American Indian Bible Institute when it became a regional school of the Assemblies of God. It has of course undergone several subsequent name changes culminating in its most recent name changes to Nelson University, American Indian College Campus to reflect our partnership with Nelson University in Waxahachie, Texas. This most recent name change took place in 2024. We are also informally known as Nelson AIC.
[2] Don Ramsey, “Presidential Reflections: Don Ramsey” in Joseph J. Saggio and Jim Dempsey (Eds.) American Indian College: A Witness to the Tribes (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 2008), pp. 199-200.
[3] David J. Moore, “The Early Years (1957-1978) in Joseph J. Saggio and David J. Moore (Eds.) American Indian College Partnering with Nelson University: Equipping Native Americans and Others for Service” Manuscript in Progress.
[4] Ibid.