Stella M. Steward (91) of Olney

Stella M. Steward, 91, of Olney passed away Monday, May 23, 2016 at the Newton Care Center, Newton, Illinois.

Funeral services for Stella will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 28 at the Crain Funeral Home, Newton with Bro. Mike Knepper officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday at the funeral home. Graveside services will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in the Haven Hill Cemetery, Olney, Illinois with Pastor Eunice Glasser officiating. Memorial gifts in honor of Stella may be made to the Ebenezer United Methodist Church, Calhoun, Illinois.

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Stella was born on April 9, 1925 in Jasper County, Illinois the daughter of Thomas and Cora (Chesnut) Clapp. On March 3, 1945, Stella married Mervin Steward. Stella spent her life as a farmer’s wife, working with Mervin on their farm. In addition to farming, Stella and Mervin owned and operated an upholstery business at their home. Stella was an active member of the Ebenezer United Methodist Church, helping with dinners and serving the shut-ins of the congregation. She enjoyed poetry and humorous readings, flower and vegetable gardening, and loved many types of sewing and crafting especially bead work. She was a member of the Country Clan Home Extension.

Stella will be loved and remembered by her nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great great nieces and nephews.

Her parents, husband Mervin, brothers Marlin, Lloyd, John, and George Clapp and sisters Icle Wartsbaugh and Rebecca Mason preceded her in death.