Myrtle Collette Steward

Myrtle Collette Steward, 86, joined her Lord and Savior during the early morning hours of Friday, March 25, 2011. She went to sleep in her Clay Center, Kansas home and woke up in heaven. Myrtle was born March 8, 1925 in Clay Center, the youngest daughter of nine siblings to Reed and Katie (Bull) Dunn. She graduated from the Clay Center Community High School with the class of 1945, and then taught school for a few years. She was married on January 12, 1946 to Dale Steward. Together, they had nine children. Myrtle and Dale enjoyed 51 years of marriage and both lived their entire lives in Clay Center, as part of the rural community. Myrtle was preceded in death by her husband, Dale. She was the last living member of Reed and Katie Dunn's immediate family. She is survived by nine children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. Her children are Barbara of Manhattan, Kansas; Shirley of Tucson, Arizona; Sheryl Schubert and husband, Wayne of Sedgwick, Kansas; Steven of Clay Center, Kansas; Karen Burger and husband, Forrest of Wichita, Kansas; Polly Sharp and husband, John, of Peoria, Illinois; Penny Anderson and husband, Eric of Wichita, Kansas; Julie of Lawrence, Kansas; and Joen Schleisman and husband, Anthony of Newark, Delaware. Her grandchildren are Matthew Burger of Shawnee, Kansas; Ben Schubert of Wichita, Kansas; Nicolette Schleisman of Newark, Delaware; and Erica and Alex Anderson of Wichita, Kansas. Her great-granddaughter is Maci Jo Burger of Shawnee, Kansas. She is survived by many additional extended family members, all of whom Myrtle cherished as close loved ones. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, April 1, 2011 at the Clay Center Presbyterian Church with the Rev. James Byers officiating. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery. Respect calls may be made Friday, April 1, 2011 between 12:00p.m. and 2:00p.m. at the Clay Center Presbyterian Church. Memorials in honor of Myrtle may be made to the American Heart Association or the March of Dimes and may be sent in care of the Neill-Schwensen-Rook Funeral Home, 918 7th Street, Clay Center, KS 67432. To her children, there was no one more beautiful than their mother, Myrtle.