Virginia M Stewart

Funeral service for Virginia Maxine Ashburn Stewart, 93 (94 on Christmas day), will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, November 27, 2017, at Gray Brown-Funeral Home in Anniston. Visitation will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 PM on Sunday, November 28.

Mrs. Stewart died peacefully in her sleep on November 24 at her home in Anniston, after being homebound for eight years with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Mrs. Stewart was a native of Marshall County (near Arab). Her family moved to Jacksonville in 1940. She graduated from Jacksonville High School and Jacksonville State University. She taught school in Calhoun County (3 years), Jefferson County (1 year), and St. Clair County (1 year). She married Sgt. Robert R. (Bob) Stewart on November 1, 1947, and was a loving wife and life long partner for 70 years!

Mrs. Stewart was a pastor’s wife in Alabama from 1949 – 1958, and in 1958 she and her husband were appointed by the Foreign Mission Board, S.B.C. (now International Mission Board, S.B.C.) to serve in Thailand. They, with their three children, arrived in Thailand in October 1958, and served there until their retirement in 1994. In addition to being a mother, homemaker, and home-school teacher, Mrs. Stewart also served as an English teacher, hospital ward-clerk, musician (piano, accordion, organ and ranet-ek – a Thai-style xylophone), leprosy worker, refugee worker, and Baptist Press Representative. She and her husband have resided in Anniston since their retirement in 1994.

Survivors include her husband, Rev. Bob Stewart; two daughters Ruth Latham and Beverly Shelton of Rome, Georgia; one son, Robert K. (Bob) Stewart of Athens, Ohio; and several grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Ila Ashburn of Arab, and Mattie-Lou Brown of Oneonta.

Since her retirement from the mission field, Mrs. Stewart has spoken/played her Ranet-ek in more than 800 churches in 16 states, has been an active member in Parker Memorial Baptist Church, an officer in Women On Mission, pianist in Sunday School, a server of Wednesday Night Fellowship Supper (until forced to stop because of declining health), and an active helper in the Prayer Card Ministry.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering at Parker Memorial Baptist Church

Arrangements under the direction of Gray Brown-Service Mortuary & Crematory, Anniston, Alabama.