Myrtie Marie Stewart Lee

Myrtie Marie Stewart Lee, 94, gently passed from this life surrounded by family on October 14, 2018, at her home in West Fork, Arkansas. She was born into a loving Christian home to Clarence and Leona Corley Stewart on September 30, 1924, in Cenchrea Community near Florien, and graduated from Mt. Carmel High School. She married Clifton Lee in 1941. They moved to Jackson, Mississippi, and lived there until they moved to New Orleans for several years before returning to Many. Clifton was in the Navy during WWII. Marie and baby Victor travelled to join Clifton when he was in port, riding the train to San Diego and Norfolk, Virginia. Marie began attending the Cenchrea Church of the Nazarene as a baby. She continued her faithful Christian walk wherever she lived. She was a member of the Many Church of the Nazarene and the Bethany First Church of Nazarene. Marie was a joyful, prayerful, Christian woman all her life. Her family and friends loved that she laughed and smiled readily. Clifton trained Marie to be a lab tech and she began her long career at Frasier Hospital, Many. She worked wherever they lived and loved her work, co-workers and patients so much that she retired between age 80-81. She said she would have continued to work longer, but she hated to tell patients that she was 80. They moved to Bethany, Oklahoma, in 1967. In 1990, Clifton was tragically killed in a car wreck and Marie remained faithful to him until her death. Their granddaughter, Jessica, lived with Marie from the time Clifton died until Marie became ill in 2012. The two girls had a wonderful time traveling to and from Bethany and Many and living an independent life. Codie also had lots of quality time with her Nana by spending frequent time in her home all her life until she went to college. Marie’s only grandson, Brett, never failed to call every Sunday for decades. After her illness, Marie lived with her granddaughter, April, for several years until she was rehabilitated to the point she did not need 24-hour care. April’s friends came to her home where there was lots of fun and clamber. All of April’s friends loved “Two-Mom” and she seemed to thrive in all the commotion. All the older family members have commented that they too want to rehab in a young-folks home rather than an old-folks home. After April ’s care, Marie lived with other family members. Her son, Victor and Sharon, had the privilege of Marie living with them for several years and then with granddaughter, Wendy and Nick, got to enjoy Marie’s joyfulness until her final weeks. They spent Two-Mom’s last New Year’s Eve together laughing and having a wonderful time. Marie began her workday by exercising. After retirement she attended Silver Sneakers. She loved to sew and knit. She made many of her own clothes beginning as a teen. She made treasured quilts for both of her sons and she knitted afghans for all five of her grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband; son, Glen Alan Lee; her parents; and brothers, Mack Glen Stewart, Horace Stewart, and Ken Stewart and his wife, Iva Stewart. Marie was especially proud of her five generations of family and is survived by her son, Victor Lee and wife, Sharon, of West Fork, Arkansas; grandchildren, Brett Lee of Corpus Christi, Texas, Wendy Ojeda and Nick of Fayetteville, Arkansas, April Lee of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Codie Lee and husband, Gerardo Troncoso, of El Reno, Oklahoma, and her beloved Jessica Lee of El Reno, Oklahoma; great-grandchildren, Mackenzie Garrett and Jeanette Barron of Fayetteville, Arkansas, Lexie Garrett of West Fork, Arkansas, Nick Lee and John Patrick “J.P.” Lee of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Lilee Troncoso and Laurelle Troncoso of El Reno, Oklahoma; great-great-grandsons, Blayze and Bennett Garrett of Fayetteville, Arkansas; brother, Wayne Stewart and wife, Peggy, of Many; sister-in-law, Shirley Stewart of Florien; and many nieces, nephews and friends. Memorials may be made to Cenchrea Church of the Nazarene, 2730 Cenchrea Rd, Florien, La., 71429 or Washington Regional Hospice, 325 E. Longview St, Fayetteville, AR, 72703. Funeral services were held October 18 at Cenchrea Nazarene Church with the Rev. James Philen officiating. Burial will follow in the Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Pallbearers were Brett Lee, Nick Lee, J. P. Lee, Gerado Troncoso, Ronald Dockens, Jacob Adams, Dan Alford, and Tommy Joe Andries. Honorary pallbearers were Wayne Stewart, Peggy Stewart, Shirley Stewart and Nick Ojeda.