Born on September 30, 1930 in Charlotte, NC, Mrs. Olmsted was the daughter of the late Rear Admiral. Alston Ramsay and Hazel Hunter Ramsay. Her early years were spent in China where her father was stationed with the U.S. Navy. After many family moves ranging from Naval bases in Charleston, SC, Falls, Church, VA, Port Heuneme, CA to San Francisco, CA, she graduated from Sweet Briar College.
She later studied painting at American University, and with noted fine artists William Christenberry and Gene Davis at the Corcoran School of Art. Mrs. Olmsted exhibited her watercolor paintings in many juried shows, and her works are part of public and private permanent collections. Highlights of juried art shows where her paintings were featured included: Corcoran School of Art, Organization of American States (Washington, DC), Strathmore Hall’s Brandeis Art Exhibit (Bethesda, MD), Landon School (Bethesda, MD), DC Superior Court Art Trust (Washington, DC), Rowan Art Guild (Salisbury, NC), McNay Art Institute (San Antonio, TX), Arlington Arts Center (VA), and Sweet Briar College (Sweet Briar, VA).
In civic life and volunteer service, Mrs. Olmsted supported the preservation of American history, garden beautification and assisted an array of non-profits in the Washington DC area through membership in several service club organizations. She was a member of The National Society of Colonial Dames in the State of Maryland (descendant of Ninian Beall), and was also an active 50-year member of the Junior League of Washington, DC, where she served on the committee for the Junior League’s Senior Craftsmen holiday craft & gift fundraising markets. An avid floral designer and arranger, she also assisted in the curation and judging of flower shows hosted by The Gardeners of the Junior League of Washington, DC.
Before the term was widely used, Mrs. Olmsted was a genuine “foodie” who enthusiastically pursued fine cuisine, as well as food history and unique cooking instruments of many countries. From 1994 - 1995 she served as the restaurant review writer for the Arlington Courier, a role she relished, dining out frequently, from ethnic eats to fine Franco-Russian cuisine to uncover neighborhood gems in Northern Virginia.
Mrs. Olmsted was a longtime member of Les Dames d’Escoffier (Washington, DC chapter), an organization of women in the culinary industry, that also provides food-service industry scholarships. She was also active in CHOW, the Culinary Historians of Washington, an organization that focuses on preserving and documenting the role food, ingredients and cooking implements in history. The language, cuisine and culture of Italy was one of Mrs. Olmsted’s passions. Well into her eighties, she studied advanced Italian through Fairfax County Adult Education programs, and traveled to Italy many times, including making several trips with Evan Kleiman, a noted Italian Chef, cookbook author and NPR radio show Host of “Good Food.”
From 1988 – 1997 Mrs. Olmsted served as the Assistant Manager of the Sulgrave Club (Washington, DC) where she meticulously planned and orchestrated hundreds of dinners, lunches, balls, receptions and society weddings for club members, as well as guests including U.S. and international dignitaries, ranging from cabinet secretaries, Ambassadors and heads of state.
She is survived by a daughter, Sallie Olmsted-MacKinnon of Los Angeles, CA, a son, James Olmsted, Jr. of McLean, VA, his wife Denise Smith Olmsted, and two grandchildren, Emily Olmsted of New Orleans, LA, and Sean Olmsted of McLean, VA.
Burial services will be private. In lieu of flowers, scholarship contributions may be made to Sweet Briar College, P.O. Box 1057, Sweet Briar, VA 24595-1057.
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