Marthalin Elizabeth Steward

Friday, March 30, 2007

Marthalin Elizabeth Steward, of Springfield, Mo., died at her home on March 26, 2007. Born Nov. 1, 1913, in Milo, Mo., to Frank and Jennie Lowe. Marthalin was the fourth of seven children.

Her determined nature and unwavering sense of independence throughout her life could most certainly be attributed to the Depression era childhood spent on her family's farm near Nevada, Mo. To her credit, through adversity ranging from watching her husband be shipped overseas during, World War II, to being widowed in 1994 and overcoming the untimely death of her only son in 2005, Marthalin never complained and would not have dreamt of describing her life as one of difficulty.

She was a charter member of the Cherry Court Garden Club, founded in 1957, and was looking forward to celebrating the organization's 50th anniversary in September. She was truly at home in her garden and watching birds and until limited by her health several years ago, loved mowing her four acre property on her riding lawn mower.

She is survived by her grandsons, Douglas and Eric Steward, both of Little Rock, Ark.; sisters, Catherine Lowe of Nevada, Helen Eberle of Newton, Kan.; a number of nieces and nephews,; greatnieces and -nephews; and a host of caring friends and good neighbors.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Lyle Steward I; her son, Lyle Steward II; brothers, Thomas and Myron Lowe; and sisters, Barbara Davis and Jean Bell.

Funeral services were held at noon, Wednesday, March 28, at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, Springfield. Burial followed at Springfield National Cemetery.