Helen Jean Stewart, 90, of Sweet Home passed away Monday. Our beloved sister, aunt and cousin Helen Jean Stewart, 90, of Sweet Home now lives forever in paradise. She passed to that life Monday September 12, 2022. She was born in Aumsville, the eldest of four children of Frank Givens and Elma Ella (Tyler) Stewart.

She graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1949 and went on to receive her teaching degree from Oregon College of Education in Monmouth (now Western Oregon University) in 1953. After two years of teaching in Oregon, she started her Alaska teaching career, first in Bethel, then in Dillingham and finally in Togiak.

After the death of her father in 1983, she moved back to Sweet Home to be with her mother. She lived in sweet Home until recent years when she moved to Springfield to be closer to her sister Phyllis and to receive care for her developing dementia. Although her memory failed her, she was able to enjoy and even sing along with hymns until her last days. Her favorite scripture was Colossians 3: 15-16 and used this to exemplify her life: “Let the Message about Christ in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Helen is survived by her brother and sister-in-law Edward and Shirley Stewart of Palmer, Alaska; sisters: Phyllis Smith of Springfield, Diane Culbertson of Sweet Home; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Elma Stewart.

A Celebration of Life will be 2:00 pm, Saturday, September 24th at Waterloo Chapel in Waterloo.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the East Linn Christian Academy or to Wycliffe Bible Translators.

Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements. www.sweethomefuneral.com