Ina May (Niccum) Strait was born in Elkhart, Indiana on September 28, 1936 to Joseph and Margaret (Baker) Niccum. She was the middle child with an older brother, Joe Jr. and a younger sister, Anne. During her childhood, she began practicing and playing the piano at age 4. She attended Olivet Nazarene College in Bourbonnais, IL and majored in Music Education. It was during her years at Olivet that she met and fell in love with C. Neil Strait, a Religion and Philosophy major. Neil and Ina were married on September 2, 1958 and enjoyed a 45 year marriage before Neil’s heavenly homegoing in 2003.
Ina taught music at the elementary and high school levels and was also a 2nd grade teacher for several years. Her great love for children and teens was evident all her life.
She was a multi-talented musician and had a profound gift through singing and piano playing. Ina loved using her musical and creative gifts to honor Jesus Christ and was a constant support to her Church of the Nazarene pastor husband in their ministerial adventures to Essex, IL, Kansas City, MO, East Alton, IL, Carmi, IL, Akron, OH, Racine, WI, Lansing, MI, Grand Rapids, MI and Vicksburg, MI.
Ina fell deeply in love with Indian Lake Nazarene Camp (Vicksburg, MI) in 1980 and this love only intensified during her life. She was heavily involved at ILNC and became the Program Coordinator for the Campgrounds. She imagined and brought to life Family Festival, a 4th of July celebration, which was her favorite accomplishment in life. Ina took great joy in ministering to Spouses of Pastors and Pastoral Families and she had a genuine love for those in the ministry.
Ina had many loves in her life, her husband, her family, pastoral families, the piano, crafts, Olivet Nazarene University, The Church of the Nazarene, the Michigan District, Indian Lake Nazarene Camp, The Florida Holiness Camp and Aviva Assisted Living, but, above all of them, she loved the Lord she served so faithfully. God led her on an amazing ministerial adventure and she faithfully stepped up to help along-side her pastor husband. Even after Neil’s passing, Ina continued to find ways to minister in the ways she was gifted – through piano playing, sharing homemade crafts with others, organizing events, bringing groups of people together, and loving others as Christ would.
She had a bright smile that would light up a room and had a tremendous personality and sense of humor that allowed her to laugh at herself and make others feel at ease. Ina naturally loved others – and it showed!
Ina embraced the arms of her Savior on Monday, September 21, 2026 at the age of 89 and is preceded in death by her husband, C. Neil Strait and great grandson, Ezra Joseph David Strait. She is survived by her children: David & Mary Lou Strait (Sparta, Michigan), Philip and Joleen Strait (Ravenna, MI), Jolyne and David Bartley (Valparaiso, IN) and her grandchildren: Jennifer and Derek Norton (TN), Ben and Ashley Strait (MI) and Bray, Kaenen, Malayna and Sadie Bartley (IN) and great grandchildren Evelyn and Josiah Norton (TN) and Iva, Isaiah and Eliana Strait (MI). Ina is also survived by her sister, Anne Kling (VA), and nephews Ron Jr. (VA), Ryan (VA), Rory (CO) and Reagan Kling (VA) and Jon Niccum (KS).
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, October 3, 2026 at the C. Neil Strait Tabernacle at Indian Lake Nazarene Camp located at 8258 Victory St, Vicksburg, MI 49097. A viewing will begin at 10:00 am and the funeral will take place at 1:00 pm. Light refreshments will be served in the Ina Strait Activity Center (ISAC) immediately following the service as a way to honor Ina’s joy of bringing people together for fellowship.
The service will be live streamed for those unable to attend. The live stream links include
Youtube: youtube.com/@michigandistrictnazarene8128/streams
Facebook: facebook.com/MichiganDistrict/
In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Ina Strait Activity Center Renovation Project at Indian Lake Nazarene Camp. Please follow the links below and choose the “Ignite” campaign and “Ina Strait Memorial” purpose.
The link for returning donors with an ILNC CampWise account is: http://cwngui.campwise.com/Customer/indianlake/browser-check-donor.html
While at amsfuneralhomes.com please take time to sign Ina’s guestbook and share your favorite memory with her family.
The Strait family is being cared for by the Avink, McCowen & Secord Funeral Homes and Cremation Society, 409 South Main Street, Vicksburg, MI, 49097 (269) 649-1697
