Mary Alice (Lee) Stewart, age 85, of Goodyear, Arizona, formerly from Illinois, died on July 26, 2023, in Goodyear, Arizona. Mary Alice was born July 17, 1938, in Monmouth, Illinois, a child of Harold and Anastasia (Pittard) Lee.
Mary Alice was educated in Alexis, IL, and Corpus Christi High School, Galesburg, IL. She continued her education to graduate from St. Mary of the Woods College with her Master's Degree from the University of Iowa and a Doctorate of Education from Nova University. Dr. Stewart spent thirty-nine years in education as a teacher, counselor, and administrator in Illinois schools: St. Dennis Catholic School, Lockport, IL, St. Joseph Academy, Galesburg, IL, Alleman High School, Rock Island, IL, and Black Hawk College, Moline, IL. She would say she loved every place she worked and the students and people she worked with. In addition to her love of education, she valued her Catholic faith, her family, and her Irish roots.
Survivors include: her son, Michael, his wife, Kelly, and their children, Augustus and Avery Stewart, Goodyear, AZ, her husband’s children, Tony and Elaine Stewart; grandchildren Kennedy, Cvaugh, Monty, and Anthony Stewart; her brothers, Larry (Jane) Lee and David (Kay) Lee. She is survived by her beloved nieces, nephews, and grandnieces and nephews. She is also survived by Jigsaw’s family. Mary Alice also leaves behind incredible friends who were so dear to her.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles E. Stewart, her parents, sisters Carol Ann DeCoster, Nelle Rose Blakewell and her husband, Ashton Blakewell, and two brothers James Lee and his wife Carol, and Father Robert Lee.
A funeral mass will be at Sacred Heart Church in Moline, IL, and burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Alexis, IL. Services details are to be updated. A memorial mass will be held at St. John Vianney, Goodyear, AZ, at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Sisters of Providence, 1 Sisters of Providence, St. Mary of the Woods, Indiana 47876.
“God gives us the gift of family, and we return there again and again, for family understands where we started from and loves us for who we are.”
*This obituary was written by Dr. Stewart herself, and she asked us to keep it simple and not soupy. We have honored her wishes.
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