Judy K Stewart

Judy Kay Stewart, daughter of Rev. T.A. and Fern (Smith) Chick, was born in Enid, OK on January 28, 1941. She passed away on the 18th of June, 2020 at the age of 79 years. She married Jim Stewart on Aug. 7, 1959 at Bible Baptist Church in Alva, Oklahoma. The couple was married for 55 years and were blessed with four children, Cynchonia, Michael, Angelia and Christopher. A devoted wife, mother and grandmother, Judy, through her love of Jesus Christ, impacted the lives of many young men and women by teaching them about God’s grace, mercy and love. She believed it was her life’s work to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and love people no matter the circumstance. Judy started teaching Sunday school in seventh grade and continued for most of her life. She and Jim were faithful leaders of Teen Impact at Bible Baptist Church for countless years. After many years of teaching Sunday school, Judy cherished the relationships she built with her Sunday school class at First Baptist Church. Judy went by many different names, Mal, Ma, G-Mal and Grandma, but no matter what special name her grandchildren called her, her love for them was always evident. Judy had a way of making everyone in the room feel they were her most valuable treasure. Many knew her as a kind, loyal, loving friend but to her grands and great-grands, she was also feisty and a little bit sassy. Mal had a way of making everything special, whether it was playing beauty shop with her grandgirls and letting them put ponytails all over her cotton-colored hair or her “Grandkid Only” Christmas parties, she took time to build memories with us. A few of those memories include when Mason snuck a Diet Coke for them to share or when she put her face in the water for Baylei (if you didn’t know, our Mal was terrified of water). Tyler remembers piling in the Buick and taking family vacations to Branson and all of the times Mal and Pop got lost (pretty much every trip they ever took). Chesnei reminisced about ‘midnight picnics’ during the sleepovers Maya remembers so well. That’s where she shared her love for circus peanuts and orange slices. One of Laney’s favorite memories is when Mal and Pop took her to McDonald’s for her birthday and she had begged for a pony. Not knowing how they could make that happen, Laney’s Happy Meal toy was a My Little Pony and she was elated! Mal and Pop were relieved. She loved to teach her grandkids songs like “I am a funny little Dutch girl…” and leg wrestling with us. That may be why she had to have her knees replaced, but thank God she did, because that brought Jerrad into our family. She loved bragging on how great Jerrad is, she was his biggest cheerleader. Asa said her favorite memory was Mal reading “Dinosaur Ed” and then when Asa was able to read the same book her to. Mal instilled in us the importance of reading and would tear up every time one of the grands would read to her. Mal wasn’t fond of pets, but Bryson loved checking for her dog doorstop. Tenallie loved when Mal would rock her in the rocking chair. Bays loved giggling at Mal and playing with her puffy feet. Our Mal was intentional in building relationships with each of us. Whether it was life long jokes like “HAPPY NEW NEAR!” or burning rubber in front of her house on Flynn and cracking up to listening to dulcimer Christmas music in the car all year round to our dismay, we have been taught so many lessons from her, our favorite family traditions of going to Rialto at Thanksgiving for a movie or how to tie shoes. She taught us to face our fears, like riding on the sea-doo on a family vacation when she thought we were going so fast (we were idling). She taught us relationships matter, like when we would get to accompany her to Holder’s for jack and jill’s with the “Golden Girls” or with their church friends to McDonald’s for a hamburger and ice cream cone, her and Pop would share and that small gesture taught us so much about marriage. Mal always filled any gap that we may have had. Bo laughed while telling us how Mal would pick him and his older sisters up for school and drove like a crazy lady. They were thankful they made it to school most days but those are some of his favorite memories. Demy loved watching Mal dance at Baylei and Jerrad’s wedding. Susannah was thankful for how Mal welcomed her into the family and came running when she needed help, no matter the circumstance. Even though Donnetta and Christine came into Mal’s life later, she always treated them as though she had been their grandma since birth. She taught us that the littlest moments have the biggest impact. She taught us to be kind to everyone, Jesus created them in His image and our love should mimic Christ’s love for people. She taught us to grow in our faith and mature. She loved listening to Derrick preach and always joked with him about preaching salvation at her funeral. She prayed fervently over each of us, whether it was to not settle for less than God intended or that we would have a personal relationship with Christ, she was the ultimate prayer warrior and role model. We will miss her wisdom but know that she has faithfully planted seeds in each of us. Mal enjoyed reading, cleaning and not cooking (except frozen waffles). As she entered the gates of heaven, we imagine her doing her ‘horse’ dance or yelling ‘yang yong’ on her way to meet Jesus face to face. We loved her fiercely and are thankful God gave her to us. Judy is now rejoicing in heaven. She was preceded in death by her husband Jim, son, Michael, her parents and 6 siblings. She is survived by her children, Cyndi and Roger Sanders, Angie Zehr, Chris and Tisha Stewart, all of Alva. Her grandchildren, Mason Welty, Tyler and Susannah Welty, Donnetta Haigood, Christine and Jason Miller, Chesnei and Derrick Thomas, Baylei and Jerrad Hada, Maya, Laney, Bo and Demy Stewart, great grandchildren, Tye Alambar, Tate Alambar, Cutter Haigood, Kordia Miller, Asa Thomas, Bryson Welty, Tenallie Welty, Bays Thomas and great-great-grandchildren, Aubree and Jax Alambar. She is also survived by her little sister, Lucinda and Dean Miller, “The Golden Girls”, and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. Memorial Contributions may be made in her memory to Washington Elementary School Library.

Judy K Stewart

January 28, 1941 - June 18, 2020