Thelma Louise Patton Stewart

Thelma Louise Patton Stewart was born in Benson, Louisiana on November 1, 1944 to Levi and Lillian Patton. She was the second oldest of seven siblings. Thelma grew up in Benson/Converse, La and attended All Saints High School in Pelican, La. It was a K-12 school where all of her other siblings also attended. In 1963, Thelma attended Grambling State University where she met and married James E. Stewart. James was a fellow student and a Sgt. in the U. S. Marine Corp. James and Thelma have two children, a son and a daughter, James Christopher and Sabrina. She was also blessed to have her one and only grandchild, Hailey. Thelma worked at AT&T for 35 years in various positions, including manufacturing, billing, and customer service. After retiring, she continued to be active in her community by working as a school crossing guard for an additional 14 years. Thelma loved cooking, baking, and spending time with friends and family. Another of her passions was working for Bexar County Elections as a clerk and then a judge for about 10 years. She strongly believed in civic responsibility and the need for citizens to participate in their community by voting. She accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior and became a member of the church in the late 1970s. In the early 1990s, Thelma transferred her membership to Dellcrest Church of Christ in San Antonio from Russell Road Church of Christ in Shreveport, La. Thelma attended church faithfully and really tried to live life by example. She was a phenomenal person: very loving, generous and compassionate, beautiful on the inside and out. Thelma was preceded in death by her father, Levi Patton and brothers, Levi Patton, Jr. and Roger Patton. She leaves to cherish her memory her mother, Lillian Patton, her husband, James E. Stewart; daughter, Sabrina Stewart; son, James C. Stewart; one granddaughter, Hailey Stewart; and daughter-in-law, Cheryl Stewart; siblings, Willie Patton, Dewey Patton, Edward Patton and Eva Patton; nephews, Kerry Patton, Lajuan Patton, Darrell Grady; nieces, Shalena Patton, Charlotte Holmes, Cheryl Grady, Tammy Martin and a host of other loving relatives and friends.