Marilyn Richardson Stewart

Marilyn Richardson Stewart January 9, 1933 - September 22, 2016. Marilyn was born on her Aunt Lula and Uncle Willie Mashburn's farm home in De Kalb, Texas. She was the third of four children to Walter and May Richardson. Her mother recalled that she was a very loving child and even nicknamed her, "Sweetie Pie." Marilyn moved with her family to Tulsa, Oklahoma where she attended school from kindergarten through 6th grade. In the 5th and 6th grades she played the violin. Her family moved to the Texarkana area during her 7th and 8th grades before returning to Tulsa for her 9th grade education. She graduated from Central High School in 1951. Her best subject in school was history and her ambition was to be a school teacher. Marilyn met "the love of my life," Tom Stewart, during the summer of 1948 when he was with his friend David Lemke. David later married her sister, Margaret. Tom enlisted in the navy shortly after graduation and returned, on leave, to marry her just a few months later. They married in North Lewis Baptist Church on September 20, 1951, after a Thursday evening revival service. While serving during the Korean War, Marilyn and Tom made California their home in Long Beach and Point Loma. In Point Loma, they help start a Southern Baptist church. After serving in the navy, Tom and Marilyn returned to Tulsa to make it their home for 57 years. They raised three children Jo Elaine, Jeff and Karen. Marilyn continued to serve the Lord through teaching primary Sunday School for over two decades at Eastwood Baptist Church, hosting Precept Bible Studies in her home and teaching in yearly Vacation Bible Schools. In the early 1990's, she joined Garnett Road Baptist Church and continued to serve the Lord through teaching Girls in Action, Vacation Bible School, helping initiate a Home Bound Ministry, working along her husband in a Nursing Home Ministry and traveling with him in their motor home across the country to volunteer with the Oklahoma Baptist Builders. She also hand wrote portions of the Bible and mailed them regularly into regions of the world where Bibles were not permitted. In October of 2012, Marilyn moved to Plano, Texas and she and her husband joined Hunters Glen Baptist Church. During the early 1990's, she told her family that the Lord impressed upon her that she would have Alzheimer's. Marilyn suffered from the disease for more than 10 years. The disease robbed her of her hobbies and the ability to crochet, paint ceramics, do plastic canvas needlework and prepare meals. It never robbed her of her love of her God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Marilyn never complained about her condition but openly trusted the Lord as her personal Good Shepherd throughout the disease. From the early 1990's, she wore a sliver cross of the Good Shepherd, holding a small lamb, to testify of her faith in her Savior Who was carrying her in His arms during the difficult times. The Good Shepherd carried Marilyn home to eternity on September 22, 2016. She was a very loving wife and mother of three: Jo Stoll (Plano, Texas), Jeff Stewart (Marietta, Georgia) and Karen Fricano (McKinney, Texas) She was known as "Grammy" to five grandchildren: Stewart Stoll, Tom Stewart, John Stewart, Sarah Fricano and Nathan Fricano and one great grandchild, Alex Stoll. Memorial services will be held at the Dallas - Ft. Worth National Cemetery on September 29th. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association.