Mariann E. Stewart, 100, passed away Aug. 25, 2017, at Vintage on the Ponds, where she had been a resident for six years.
She was born Jan. 19, 1917, to John and Caroline (Britt) Brocker at the Delavan Sanatorium.
After graduating from Delavan High School in 1934, Mariann was a social worker for Walworth County . She married Russell L. Stewart on May 20, 1939, and moved to his family’s farm west of Delavan in Darien Township. There she became Russell’s partner in running the dairy farm, raising chickens and tending to the garden, among many other activities. Together they raised four children – twins Barbara and Mary, Virginia and Russell Jr.
After they retired from farming they became avid “RV’ers” and traveled the country visiting friends and relative. One of their most memorable trips was driving to Alaska with their daughter, Barbara, and her husband, Tom Theobald. Closer to home, they spent weekends enjoying their participation with the Walco Campers
In later years, one of her passions was knitting hats for the newborn babies at local hospitals. She also made sure that extended family members received the brightly colored scarves and afghans that were her labor of love. She was a lifetime and active member of Christ Episcopal Church in Delavan and its altar guild and Sunday school. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. Mariann was also a 4-H leader with Ridge Prairie 4-H Club.
Mariann is survived by daughters, Mary Tully and Virginia Schollz, of Delavan, her son, Russell Jr. (Sally) of West Virginia; grandchildren Tracy Theobald (Brian) Briggs, of Berthoud, Colo., Sean (Anie) Tully, of Fairfax, Calif., Ryan Tully, of Oak Lawn, Ill., Samuel (Anita) Stewart and Andrew (Melissa Stewart, of West Virginia, and Emily Stewart (Ismael Ortiz), of Granada, Spain; great-grandchildren Erin Briggs (Lucas) O’Hare, Justine Briggs, Thomas, James and Sarah Stewart; Brantley, Alexandra Stewart and Cooper Kelly; Margaret, and Josephine Tully, and Lucinda Shafer and Norah Ortiz Stewart; great-great-grandson Breckin O’Hare; a nephew, William (Janice) Mastin, of Green Bay, and a niece, Jorja Boiley, of Delavan.
Preceding her in death were her parents, John and Caroline Brocker, her husband of 61 years, Russell Sr. and her daughter Barbara (Tom) Theobald.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Christ Episcopal Church in Delavan with the Rev. Joel A. Prather officiating. Burial will follow in Spring Grove Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Betzer Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
The family is requesting that donations be made to Christ Episcopal Church-Delavan or Vintage on the Ponds. Betzer Funeral Home is serving the family.
