Phyllis Smith Stewart passed away on May 21, 2023 at South Haven Living Center at the age of 94. Phyllis Raydell was born to Raymond and Edna Scott Smith May 19, 1929. She joined sister Imogene living on a farm near Cedar Bluffs. In 1933, their mother died of cancer and left Ray to raise the two girls. In 1934, her father remarried Ellen Whitten and they moved to her uncle’s farm in the Colon area.

Phyllis and her sister attended District #23 country school and were members of the Marietta Presbyterian Church. Three more children were born to the family, Marjorie, Marilyn and Kathryn. Phyllis graduated from Wahoo High School and continued living at home helping on the farm and caring for her younger sisters. At age 20, she was offered a job as dental assistant for Dr. Margrave in Wahoo and worked there for two years. She then was hired to work in the business office of the new Wahoo Hospital. She later became employed at the Mead Ordnance Plant in the employment office.

She met William (Bill) Stewart and they married on November 15, 1953 at the First Presbyterian Church. She became a member of this congregation and served many capacities in the church including bible school teacher, deacon, and member of Presbyterian Women. In later years, she was an active member of the church Lunch Bunch.

In 1967, she and Bill started Stewart Construction Company where she was the accountant and bookkeeper for the company. They retired in 1991. Bill and Phyllis lived in Wahoo until the time of their deaths, raised three children and were active in community activities. She was a member of the Saunders Medical Center Axillary and was a 50-year member of Chapter I PEO.

Phyllis is survived by children: Jane (Brian) McReynolds, Nancy (Dr. Lance) Griggs, Wade (Annette) Stewart. Grandchildren: Kyle (Renee) Stewart, Marc (Alison) Stewart, Jake Stewart and Tracy Pfligler, Seth Stewart and Morgan Hancock, Megan (Kevin) Watanabe, Dr. Dane (Megan) Griggs. Great grandchildren: Kaylen, Nora, Mason and Valerie Stewart, Hailey and Abby Pfligler, Sam and Alexis Watanabe, Josie, James and Grant Griggs. Sisters: Marjorie Nystrom and Marilyn Falke.

She was preceded in death by husband William (Bill), sisters: Imogene Anderson and Kathryn Malchow.