Marguerite Jean "Peggy" Stuart

"Marguerite "Peggy" Jean Stuart died peacefully July 3, 2017, at the age of 83 after a lifetime dedicated to her family, faith and service to her community. She was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 19, 1934, the youngest of seven children to Rosa Gauthreaux Stuart and Walter Bynum Stuart, Jr. She graduated from Sacred Heart Catholic Elementary School and St. Joseph's Academy, 1952. As Sister Mary Justin Stuart, C.S.J., she received her Bachelor of Science, Education in 1963 and her Master of Science, Educational Leadership and Administration, General in 1966, from Loyola University in New Orleans. She spent many happy years in teaching and administration in Catholic School Systems of Baton Rouge, Bay St. Louis and New Orleans. As principal, in Bay St. Louis, she encouraged a community spirit, creativity and excellence in her faculties. Laughter abounded. In 1975 she received a Master of Science, Financial Administration of Non-Profit Organizations from Notre Dame and worked at First National Bank of Commerce. She also served as Provincial Treasurer of the order of St. Joseph's of Medaille. She left the order 1984 and worked at Hibernia Bank of New Orleans. Her passion was non-profit work, which she began in 1986, as executive director of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans. In 1993 she was named the executive director of Tarrant County Food Bank in Fort Worth, Texas. After her retirement from the food bank, she returned to Baton Rouge and volunteered with the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and worked at Catholic Services of the Diocese of Baton Rouge. While retired, she was involved in volunteer work for several not-for-profit entities, including BREADA, which was instrumental in bringing the Farmers' Market to downtown Baton Rouge. She helped care for a number of family members and became the hub of her large extended family. Until the end, she was known for her insatiable curiosity and passion for learning. She embraced new ideas and stayed current with new technologies, which she used to trace the genealogy of her family. She is preceded in death by parents; sister, Winifred Stuart Williamson and husband, Bill Williamson; brother, John Albert Stuart and wife, Elizabeth "Betty" Hatfield Stuart; brother, James "Jeb" Stuart and wife, Ruth Sullivan Stuart; and sister-in-law, Dorothy "Dotty" Philipps Stuart. She is survived by brother, Walter Bynum Stuart III and wife, Rita Kleinpeter Stuart; brother, Robert "Bob" Morgan Stuart; sister, Clara Stuart Andersen, and husband, Paul; and many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and nephews, and great-grand nieces and nephews. Peggy's extended family will deeply miss her sense of humor and her story-telling filled with life lessons and wisdom. Visitation will be held Saturday, July 8, 2017 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 2250 Main Street, from 9:00 a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. celebrated by Fr. Donald Blanchard and Fr. Gerald Burns. Interment to follow in Roselawn Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be nephews, John A. Stuart, Jr., Christopher Stuart, Stanley Stuart, Rob Stuart, James "Jeb" Stuart, and Richard Andersen. Special thanks and gratitude to Doctor Mike Stuart and Doctor Gerald Barber, her niece Sr. Adelaide Williamson, and good and loyal friend Pierre Baker. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Sisters of St. Joseph, St. Joseph's Academy, Hospice in His Care, or the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.