Eva Mae Stewart

Funeral services for Eva Mae Stewart, 87, of Chariton will be held Saturday, December 30, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Chariton. Family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 10:00 a.m., a luncheon will be held immediately following the service for a time to visit and share stories. A private graveside service will be held at the Norwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Norwood Methodist Church or the Lakeview Golf and Country Club (Eva Mae loved the lake and her home and she would like to purchase trees for the lake and course).

Born December 4, 1936, on her grandparent’s home farm near Lacona in Lucas County.  December of 1936 was full of snow; her mother was sick and Eva Mae’s great grandmother “Grandma Downtown” helped to take care of her. Eva has always believed that Grandma Downtown has watched over her as an angel throughout her life. Eva Mae was the oldest of five born to William Martin and Evelyn Cleo (Elmendorf) Shelton. Eva Mae and her siblings: Louise, Richard, Ron, and Susie have always been close. She has always cherished the time they spent together.

Eva Mae attended country school through the eighth grade, and often told her nieces and nephews of walking to and from school and crossing a small creek that would often go over her boots and freeze her little feet. She then attended Lacona High School and graduated in 1955. Starting in August of 1955, she began working for Contel Phone Company. Eva Mae worked there until January of 1991.

Eva Mae was married to Harold Stewart on June 4, 1961, at the Norwood Evangelical United Brethern Church (Now the Norwood Methodist). Although Eva Mae and Harold had no children of their own, their nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews were like children and grandchildren to them. They were also close to many cousins and their children. She took great pride in watching her family grow. Eva Mae loved to host family dinners and holidays at their home at West Lake.  She loved watching the animals around the lake and enjoyed feeding the birds and watching the deer.

Eva Mae lived her life with love and gratitude. She was always giving and interested in her family and friends’ lives. She loved her home and especially her neighbors. She always appreciated the love and care she received from them; maybe it was the sharing of garden produce, bringing in the mail, sitting down together for a dinner someone shared, or just someone checking in on her.  She enjoyed countless sunsets from her porch and hoped to never leave. That wish came true on December 26, 2023, when Eva Mae passed away in her sleep at her little lake home.

She was preceded in death by her parents: William and Evelyn Shelton; her husband, Harold Stewart in 2007; and siblings: Louise Shelton and Ron Shelton. 

She will be greatly missed by her siblings: Richard (Marilyn) Shelton and Susie Hayes; sister-in-law, Clarissa Shelton; many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and many family and friends whom she loved dearly.