Helen Stewart

Helen Lucille Bender Stewart, 95, of Chappell Hill, Texas, went to join her Lord and Savior, surrounded by loved ones, on February 4, 2023. Helen was born on January 31, 1928, to Lawrence Louis Bender and Emily Beckmann Bender, in Sealy, Texas. She attended Sealy High School, graduating in 1945, she was a drum majorette for the marching band. She went on to Cosmetology School in Houston, Texas.

While in Houston, she met the love of her life Edsel Allen Stewart. Helen completed school and married Edsel (Ed) February 17, 1946. They enjoyed a 58 year marriage until his death in 2004. This began a whirlwind life far beyond this Sealy girl's wildest dreams. While in Sealy, she and Edsel worked with her father, Lawrence (L.L.) Bender, and Edmond ("Sonny") Bender in their upholstery shop. They were quite a team. Helen was the seamstress.

Helen, as a young girl, worked part-time with a Beautician in Sealy and loved to style hair. After Cosmetology School, she opened a shop in her home in Pasadena, Texas, and was always on-call for a hair-do. She continued to love this whenever a granddaughter or even a caregiver at the assisted living would allow her to braid their hair. She managed the whole family's hair styles.

She resided in Sealy, where her daughter Patricia Ann Stewart (Mahaffey) was born in 1947 and returned for her son Lawrence Edward Stewart's birth in 1952.

Edsel pursued a professional career in construction, and the travels began and resulted in seventy-two addresses across the USA and extended to India, Canada, Algeria, Japan, Borneo, and Saudi Arabia. Helen always considers this one of her greatest accomplishments. Having family and traveling the world always offered many challenges.

During an extended residency in Houston, Helen attended Buddy Binz Floral Design School to become a Professional Floral Designer. This led to the purchase of Cinderella's Florist in Pasadena, Texas. Another passion was born. She worked as a floral designer for Smith's Grocery in Utah. After moving to Chappell Hill, she helped with floral design for The Bluebonnet House and her church, Chappell Hill Methodist.

Helen enjoyed Ham Radio with Edsel, and a US Postal Mail Route, just to stay busy. She enjoyed and was an excellent cook: candy, baking, canning, biscuits & gravy, and chicken pot pie, to name a few. If you turn on the music, she will dance! She loved to sit in a boat and fish all day. Helen was extremely gifted when it came to sewing, crochet, embroidery, and needlepoint. She made many prayer shawls and donated to her church for those in need. Helen came to love the craft of re-purposing greeting cards (cutting cards) that were used by her church to raise money. She could make anything green grow, had a wonderful garden, and loved to ride her tractor as fast as she could across her eight acres at 89 years old.

As a church member, she served on several committees, Funeral- helping with flowers and food, Festival - making cakes and cookies, and working the booth.

Helen was predeceased by, Husband- Edsel A. Stewart. Father- Lawrence L. Bender, Mother- Emily Bender, and Brother - Edmond F. Bender.

She is survived by:

Daughter - Patricia A. Stewart - Mahaffey and husband Kent of Richmond, Texas

Son - Lawrence E. Stewart and wife, Jodie, of Chappell Hill, Texas.

Grandson - Christopher A. Stewart of Houston, TX

Grandson - Jeffery D. Stewart and wife Emily - of Clear Lake, Texas

Granddaughter - Katy Stewart-Butler and husband Jason of Washington, Texas

Grandson - Timothy W. Bradshaw and wife Misty of Houston Texas

Grandson - Jeffrey M. Bradshaw and wife Jennifer of San Antonio, Texas

Five Great Grandsons and Two Great Granddaughters

Nieces -Florence J. Bender Parker and Beverly J. Bender Gregory

Thank you to the loyal loving friends who supported Helen and the wonderful caregivers at Argent Court in Brenham. Helen loved her family. We will miss her greatly.