Verna Lue Stewart

Verna Lue Stewart was born May 11, 1925, in Norfolk, Nebraska she passed away quietly at her home in Burbank CA, on the 11th Sept 2020 with her family by her side. She was 95 yrs. of age.
Verna Lue is survived by two of her three sons Robert and Gregory Stewart, as well as her ten grandchildren: Vanessa, Jennifer, Randy, Devon, Shelby, Laura, Aarin, and Andrew, Albert and Joel. Verna Lue is also survived by her ten great grandchildren: Jesse, Cheyenne, Jacob, Kailee, Lucas, Morgan, Dylan, Cayden, William and Julia.
Verna Lue was preceded in death by: her parents Edward and Edna Bell, her brother Donald, and nephew Edward "Alan" Bell, her husband Donald Charles and eldest son Donald Richard Stewart (who was born on Sept 11, 1950.
Verna was a 1940's graduate of Crothersville High School in southern Indiana and a graduate of Louisville, KY. Cosmetology School.
Verna was an adventurer. With her parents, Verna moved at a young age to Burbank CA where her older brother Don attended elementary School. She traveled through much of CA living in tent camps as her father Ed help build several of the highways, which connect the state.
To help with the elders of both families, Verna's family first moved back to Norfolk, Nebraska to help at the Bell family farm and later to Crothersville. Indiana to help with at the Sweany family farm.
While at high school in Crothersville, Verna met her husband to be, Donald Charles Stewart, who was visiting his sister Evelyn Sweany and other family members before joining the navy in Jan 1941 and deploying to Pearl Harbor.
In the early 40's Verna moved back to Burbank, where her parents landed jobs with the City of Burbank and the Burbank School System. While in Burbank, Donald Stewart visited Verna, and for "2 cents" they drove to Las Vegas to get married.
The trip to Las Vegas initiated the next step of her adventure. As the wife of a career sailor Verna lived in Hawaii, Alaska and Iowa, as well as, Oakland, San Diego, Long Beach and finally Burbank, CA. where Don and Verna bought a house down the street from Verna's parents.
While in Burbank, with her 3 kids in school, Verna pursued her career in Cosmetology, working in a beauty salon across the hill in Hollywood.
In 1969 Verna, Don, Robert and Greg moved back to Indian where Verna continued her career in Cosmetology and Don taught High School ROTC. By 1976 Verna and Don moved back to their residence in Burbank and soon began to add a second story to their house to make room for Verna's parents Ed and Edna to join them. Verna also changed careers and became an Insurance underwriter for Safeco Insurance, until she retired in 1990.
In retirement, Verna and Don continued their adventure travelling extensively throughout the world on organized trips and Cruises. They visited most countries in the America's, many counties in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and also Russia. They flew across both poles and sailed around Cape Horn in South America and visited Antarctica.
After Don passing in Sept 1999, Verna continued to travel with her daughter-in-Law Kate and other friends and family. She visited Mexico, the Netherlands, the Vatican on Easter Sunday 2000 and Muscat Oman, where she was able to Square Dance at the house of Sultan Qaboos' Doctor while visiting her son Greg.
Verna grew-up during the great depression, and the "dust bowl". She learned the value of a dollar and understood the need to find a career to support her family. As a child she helped her parents care for the elders of both the Bell and Sweany clans and later she cared for her own parents, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Verna believed in a greater power and was active at the Valley Baptist Church which her parents help build. She always looked at the bright side of life and faced all the challenges her long life brought her with a "can do" attitude.
Verna was a very caring and sociable person. Even when confined to bed in her last year of life she enjoyed her family, friends and neighbor's visiting her and sharing with her.
She believed all lives matter and that all people were born equal and should be treated with respect. Verna was an active member in several Masonic groups which share these beliefs including the order of Easter Star and Amaranth. Her and Don were also member of the Navy Fleet Reserve.
It was a privilege to be by her side and continue to learn from her during her last few years on earth.
Verna – we will all see you soon!
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