Lola Marie Steward

Funeral services will be held Thursday, Sept. 5, 2013, at 2 p.m. at Collier-Butler Chapel. The Revs. Tommy Marshall and Dan Mattox will officiate. Interment will be at Forrest Cemetery. Collier-Butler Funeral Home & Cremation Services in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Steward was born Sept. 1, 1928, as an only child of William and Elva Allison. In 1946, she graduated as Valedictorian at Emma Sansom High School, and was a member of the Emma Sansom High School Band. She worked and retired from Sears, Inc. Mrs. Steward was saved at an early age and was a member of Mt. Carmel Baptist and Bellevue Baptist Church. She served in a lot of roles in the church and had a passion for children. For years, she made Christmas stockings for the Salvation Army so there would not be a child that was left without. Her card ministry touched the lives of so many, no one will ever know how many people were touched by her selfless acts of kindness. She loved animals, butterflies and lightning bugs. As a result of her kindness, as her family made their way to the funeral home, she sent butterflies to comfort her daughter and an owl to comfort her granddaughters. She wanted to say, it is well with my soul, so be it with yours as well.

Mrs. Steward was preceded in death by the absolute love of her life, husband, Benny A Steward; parents, William and Elva Allison; brothers-in-law, Curtis Yarbrough, Grady Head and Morris Steward; sister-in-law, Barbara Farley; mother-in-law, Ida (Luther) Williams and father-in-law, Ed (Ima Dee) Steward; and nephew, Roger Steward.

She is leaving behind to cherish her memory, son, Benny (Suzette) Steward Jr.; daughter, Marilee (Gerald) Hickman; grandchildren, Mary Dollar, Laura (Kip) Walden, Katy (Will) McGowan, Kimberly (Joshua) Holmes; great-granddaughters, Morgan Annella Dollar and Allison Adele Walden; special granddog, Max Hickman, who visited her every day; and special nephew, Ronnie Head..

Pallbearers will be Joshua Holmes, Kip Walden, Craig Brooks, Tim Hollingsworth, Shun Snyder and Will McGowan.

Honorary pallbearers will be special friends, Betty Butler, Agnes Limbaugh and Marylee Key.

The family welcomes memories of Mrs. Steward to be mailed to them at P.O. Box 7128, Rainbow City, AL 35906.

The family wishes to thank Dr. John Wilborn; Alacare Hospice; nieces Connie Snyder and Debbie Raley; and expresses their true appreciation to her son-in-law, Gerald Hickman, for his attention and care until the end.

The family will receive friends for visitation at the funeral home Thursday from noon to 2 p.m., prior to service.

Online condolences may be made to www.collier-butler.com.