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Submitted: 12/23/23 • Approved: 12/23/23 • Last Updated: 12/26/23 • R1511948-G1511948-S3
Claude
October 3, 1923 - July 25, 2009
Claude Henry Stewart, Jr., 85, of Fort Smith went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 25, 2009 in Fort Smith. He was born in Blytheville, Arkansas to Claude H. and Mable Stewart on October 3, 1923.
Claude was a ministerial student and 1949 Cum Laude Graduate of Ouachita Baptist University where he met and married Fredda Allison. Upon his graduation, Claude and Fredda moved to Mineral Springs, Arkansas to pastor a small Baptist Church. A subsequent move to pastor a church in Locksburg, Arkansas allowed Claude to attend and graduate from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity Degree. He served as pastor of churches in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.
Claude was an avid student of God's Word and as a result used the knowledge, discernment, and wisdom with which he was blessed by God to counsel, mentor, teach, and train others to become loving and obedient servants of the Lord while instilling the assurance that faith (in God) is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Claude was considered by his family to be a hero of faith akin to those obedient Hall of Faith Saints cited in Hebrews 11. His own person testimony of salvation pointed to God's love, amazing grace and mercy. Although humble before the Lord, he had a desire and passion to proclaim the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and it was the bedrock of his ministry. "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5(b), KJV) was the sustaining Scripture of his life.
Claude had a wonderful sense of humor and a quirky grin that drew others to him. The gleam in his eye was catching and held an attraction that engaged easy conversation. He was quite a guy!
He was survived by his wife Fredda Stewart of the home; one daughter, Deborah Stewart Arnold of Denton, TX; four granddaughters, Daphne Arnold Gravitt and husband Bill of Flower Mound, TX; Jennifer Arnold McLaughlin and husband Mark of Denton, TX; Danielle Stewart Doyle and husband Benji of DeRidder, Louisiana, and Katybeth Stewart of Lake Charles, Louisiana; Great grandsons, Greyson Gravitt of Flower Mound, TX and Jess & Logan McLaughlin of Denton, TX; one brother Robert Stewart and his wife Margaret of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; one niece, Dana Stewart Dickson of Poplar Bluff, MO; and nephews, Robbie and Tracy Stewart of Poplar Bluff, MO. He was preceded in death by his only son, Claude Daniel Stewart who passed away in 2006 and sisters, Janice, Patsy, and Collette.
Funeral Service was held Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 10:00 AM in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel with burial following in the Roselawn Cemetery all under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Robbie Stewart, Kevin Page, Bill Gravitt, Steve Gonzelez, Bill Davis, and Benji Doyle.
Fredda
January 26, 1924 - April 6, 2015
Fredda Deane Allison Stewart, age 91, passed from this life Monday, April 6, 2015, to her heavenly home to be forever with her savior and lord, Jesus Christ.
Fredda was born Jan. 26, 1924, in Springdale to Fred and Bethel Black Allison.
She grew up in Westville, Okla., where Fred owned a pharmacy and Fredda graduated from high school in 1941. After graduation, she moved to Fort Smith to work in her Aunt’s photo shop, while saving money to attend college. In 1946, Fredda enrolled in Ouachita Baptist College in Arkedelphia. In 1948, Fredda married Claude Henry Stewart, a ministerial student also attending Ouachita Baptist. After their college graduation, Claude pastored churches in Mineral Springs and Lockesburg. During this time, Claude continued his ministerial education by enrolling in seminary at New Orleans Baptist University. After the Nov. 15, 1951, birth of their daughter, Deborah Deane, they subsequently moved to Slidell, La., where Fredda began her public school teaching career and Claude pastored a small rural church while completing his masters of divinity degree at seminary. Music was a vital part of Fredda’s life and she was a piano student under the tutelage of professors at both John Brown University and the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. She completed her master’s degree at Northeastern in Tahlequah, Okla., and continued to teach piano and in the public schools wherever Claude’s pastorship took them. While serving as pastor at First Baptist Church in Lavaca, Claude and Fredda welcomed a son, Claude Daniel to their family Sept. 11, 1960. Soon thereafter, the family moved to Muskogee, Okla., where Claude became the pastor of Eastern Heights Baptist and Deborah graduated from high school. Eventually, Claude, Fredda and Danny returned to Fort Smith, where Fredda concluded her teaching career at Northside High School and where Danny also graduated.
Fredda’s husband, Claude; and her son, Claude Daniel; and daughter, Deborah Arnold preceded her in death; as did her siblings, Patricia Carrington Blair and Winfred Black Allison; her parents, Fred and Bethel Allison; and other cousins, aunts and uncles.
Rejoicing that Fredda is no longer in pain and finally enjoying her heavenly residence with her lord are the following family members: Deborah’s daughters, Fredda’s granddaughters from Texas, Daphne (husband Bill) Gravitt, of Flower Mound, Texas, and Jennifer (husband Mark) McLaughlin, of Corinth, Texas. Also celebrating the life and memory of Fredda are her two granddaughters in Louisiana, the daughters of Danny, Danielle (husband Benji) Doyle and Katy Beth (husband Sean) Booth of DeRidder and Lake Charles, La., respectively. Fredda’s great‐grandsons are Greyson Gravitt (age 12), Jesse (age 11) and Logan (age 9) McLaughlin; and Thomas Daniel Doyle (age 1½). Other immediate family excited about Fredda’s presence in heaven are Donald Paul Carrington (wife Kay) of Tulsa, Becky Allison (widow of Fredda’s brother, Winfred) of Charlotte, N.C., Claude’s brother, Robert (wife Margaret) Stewart of Poplar Bluff, Mo., and the children/relatives of these individuals.
George Barham, pastor of Westside Baptist Church will conduct Fredda’s memorial service Friday at 2 p.m. at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow at Roselawn Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Edward’s Funeral Home.
Photo courtesy of Frances Allen Titsworth
Contributed on 12/23/23 by Billsully060
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Record #: 1511948