Willie Mae Stewart

Willie Mae Stewart passed away Nov. 27, 2015. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family. She was born January 22, 1920 in Eunice Louisiana to Leroy and Rila Lewis. Although spending most of her summers as a youth with her grandparents in Eunice she was raised in Houston Texas. She graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School in 1938.

Willie Mae married Joe V. Stewart (deceased 1990) October 22, 1938. They moved from Texas to Arizona to California, finally settling in Oregon by the start of World War II. She worked for the Railroad at Union Station until the mid-1950s. During this time she was an active member of Allen Temple CME Methodist Church, a member of Eastern Star, and sang in a gospel choir.

By the mid-1950s she was a stay at home mom with 2 children. From that point forward much of her activities at this time were child centered. She was an active member of many aspects of Rockwood United Methodist Church, and that continued up to her later years. Volunteerism was important to her, and her activities ranged from being a Sunday school teacher to frequent volunteering at SnowCap. During the 60s and 70s she was a Camp Fire club leader, assistant leader, active parent and a day camp counselor at Camp Wekio.

In later years, although using a walker & wheelchair, she enjoyed being out and about. She said she didn’t understand how other older people could stand sitting around just watching TV. She also said you missed too much if you went to bed too early. She loved Movies in the Park and Shakespeare in the Park during the summer. She was fond of movies and plays, attending many productions at the CCT, and local high schools. Willie Mae also enjoyed accompanying her daughter to Camp Fire activities and Camp Namanu work weekends, Alumni weekends, and even a week of summer camp. She truly enjoyed socializing with all ages on these occasions.

She is remembered by daughter Joanne Stewart, son Robert Cummings, and daughter-in-law Lorraine Briscoe. Grandchildren: Che’Michelle Cummings, and Joe Cummings. Great-Grandchildren: Tabitha and Daniel Thoreson, Alexis Nyreen, Joseph Jr. and Micah Cummings, Jazmyne and Jaxon Cummings.

We will always love her. We will always miss her.

Viewing will be on Tuesday, December 8th from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm and on Wednesday, December 9th from 12:00 pm until 7:00 pm at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home in Gresham.

Funeral service will be on Thursday, December 10, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. at Rockwood United Methodist Church located at 17805 SE Start St. in Portland followed by a 2:00 p.m. concluding committal graveside service at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.