June Winifred Mayberry Stewart

June Winifred (Mayberry) Stewart departed this earthly life on Saturday, December 3, 2011. She was born on September 20, 1910 on a farm in Johnson County, Kansas, about 25 miles from Kansas City, to Ivan D. Mayberry and Florence (Hutton) Mayberry. “Mama June” as she became affectionately known within the family, moved to Mission, Texas at age six, where her father started the first mail order grapefruit operation in the Rio Grande Valley. June, an avid reader and honors student, played high school tennis and basketball in Mission, graduating in 1927. She moved to Oklahoma City in 1932 to attend business college for secretarial training and pursue several small jobs, including a stint at the Oklahoma State Fair, where she met Roy P. Stewart, who would become her husband of 52 years. June and Roy were married on June 12, 1937, by Roy’s father, the Reverend William J. Stewart, and settled in Stillwater, where two sons were born. William Thane Stewart, born October, 1938, and Ronald Laird Stewart, born October 15, 1939. In 1941, the family moved to Oklahoma City as Roy began his career as a newspaperman. Son Roger Malcolm Stewart was born there on April 9, 1941. Soon wartime service took the family to Chicago, Illinois, Abilene, Texas and Long Beach, California. When Roy’s 45th Division was activated for WWII, June and her children moved to Mission, Texas for the duration of the war. After the war, the family located again in Oklahoma City, where daughter Judith Kaye Stewart was born on February 11, 1948. In 1951, the family moved to the Washington, D.C. area, as Roy became the Washington Correspondent for the Daily Oklahoman. Finally back at home in Oklahoma City in 1953, with Roy firmly established as the “Country Boy” columnist for the Daily Oklahoman, June began a multiple career as a homemaker, Campfire Leader and employee of the Oklahoma City School Board. She was a frequent supporter of animals in need and several other charitable and humanitarian causes her entire life. She was a long-time member of May Avenue United Methodist Church and the Republican Party, frequently supporting conservative candidates for public office. For Mama June, family was the most important thing, and she never forgot a birthday and actively supported all her relatives’ projects and activities. June was preceded in death by her parents Ivan and Florence Mayberry; her brother, Ivan D. Mayberry, Jr.; her infant son William Thane Stewart, and her husband, Roy P. Stewart. She is survived by her sister, Lillian Mayberry Peake; her sons Ronald Laird and wife Saundra; Roger Malcolm and wife Daphne; her daughter Judith Kaye (Stewart) Shank and husband Gary; her grandsons Jesse Stewart and wife Adrienne; Justus Stewart and wife Rachel; and Patrick Stewart and companion Joanna Castellanos. She is also survived by her granddaughters Dominique (Stewart) Shadid and husband Chris; Nicole Stewart and companion Michael Pearce; great granddaughter Lena Nicole Shadid and great grandson Milo Gregory Shadid. She is also survived by six nieces and four nephews. The family wishes to express their appreciation to the wonderful caretakers who helped June during the last few years and to the ministry and parishioners of May Avenue United Methodist Church for their visitation and continuing concern. In lieu of flowers, please support animal welfare by sending donations in memory of June to Free to Live animal sanctuary, P.O. Box 5884, Edmond, OK 73083.

JUNE WINIFRED MAYBERRY STEWART, THE BEST MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER IN THE WORLD

Arrangements under the direction of Guardian Funeral Homes West Chapel, Oklahoma City, OK.