STEWARD, Marjorie Jean (Leayman) - b. March 15, 1945 - d. December 10, 2024

[patyrn]

Marjorie Jean Steward was born March 15, 1945 during the late stages of World War II.  Her father, Glenroy "Jim" Leayman was serving in the Army Air Corps at the time.  Named after her mother, Marjorie Jean (Kunkel) Leayman, Jean grew up in Rock, Kanas with her sister, Cindy, and brothers, Gary and Ron, and had many happy times with her extended Kunkel family.  She was affectionately known as "Jeanie" to her friends and family as a young lady.

After completing high school at Douglass, Kansas, Jean pursued an Associate's Degree in Home Economics at Arkansas City Junior College.  It was there that she became very interested in a football player who ran by her apartment window on his way to practice each day.  This chance encounter proved to be a blessing for so many. It started a wonderful relationship that shaped and blessed the lives of many people for decades to come.

On September 4, 1966, Jean married that football player, John "Dale" Steward in Rock, Kansas.  Thier union led them to Manhattan, Kansas where Dale completed his education at Kanas State University.  As Dale's career as an engineer began, the couple relocated to Augusta, Kansas where they embarked on a new chapter in their lives; the career for which Jean was born began as well.

Born with a natural gift of caregiving, Jean dedicated her life to nurturing and supporting her friends and family.  She provided them with an abundance of food, shelter, and love, embodying the essence of a caregiver.  As she blossomed into a wife and mother, Jean's true calling came to fruition. Soon after starting their lives in Augusta, the family soon grew with the addition of sons, Brent and Patrick.  In 1972, they relocated to Jetmore, Kansas where their family expanded further with the birth of daughter, Karen.  In 1976, the growing Steward family set out on an exciting and very different journey. Leaving their familiar surroundings behind, they left their small-city life and bought the farm/ranch next to Dale's parents' family ranch, the "home place" where Dale was born in Grenola, Kansas.  Jean became a farm wife where the family grew by another son, John "Mark". 

Jean spent the next few years as a very busy mother of four children and tireless supporter of a very busy husband.  As always, she preferred to be the supporter of those in her life, not seeking the spotlight but doing everything she could to help her loved ones shine instead.  As her children grew older and more independent, she embarked on yet another new challenge as a manager, transporter, and caregiver for an elderly neighbor couple.  This presented many new obstacles that she handled with remarkable grace for the remainder of that couple's lives.  She grew wonderfully into that role to no one's surprise bur perhaps her own.

The next chapter in her life was being an adoring grandmother.  The light in her eyes was never as bright and the smiles never as wide as when she held oen of her many grandchildren and watched them grow into adulthood.  She was further blsssed in the last year by meeting and adoring two great-grandchildren. 

Jean is survived by her husband, Dale Steward of the home in rural Grenola, Kansas; children, Brent (Susan) Steward, Patrick (Jodi) Steward, Karen (Trent) Flory, and John "Mark" (Stephanie) Steward; grandchildren, Hannah Steward, Kate (Grant) Herrenbruck, John Steward, Morgan (Kyle) Phalen, Leah (Joe) Swartzenruber, Allison (Eli) Campbell, Weston (Jessica) Flory, Tucker (Sara) Flory, Collin Flory, Susannah Flory, Sophie Steward, and Adriana Steward; great-grandchildren, Hadley Swartzenruber and Finley Flory; one sister, Cindy Hibbard; and many other family members and friends.  She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Gary Leayman and Ron Leayman.

Church services will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Baptist Church in Howard, Kansas with Pastor Derek Wolfe officiating.  Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. at Cedar Vale Cemetery in Cedar Vale, Kansas.  The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in honor of Jean Steward to First Baptist Church of Howard, P.O. Box 295, Howard, Kansas.  To leave a message for the family, please go to www.dickensfuneral.com. Dickens Family Funeral Home in Sedan, Kansas is in charge of arrangements.

(taken from the Dickens Family Funeral Home website)