L. Irene Platt Stewart

"Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith and not by sight. We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8

L. Irene Platt Stewart, 81, of Lake Charles, died Sunday, August 21, in the home of her daughter.

Mrs. Stewart was born in Rayville, La., March 9, 1930 and lived in the Lake Charles and Sulphur area since 1950 except for one year in Cassville, MO. She was a graduate of Acadia Baptist Academy, attended Louisiana College and McNeese State University.

Mrs. Stewart had a great love of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and served Him by sharing her love for music as music director at Olivet and Trinity Baptist Churches in Sulphur, First Baptist Church of Moss Bluff, Bethel Baptist Church in Lake Charles, and Vinton First Baptist Church. She was a long-time member of Sale Street Baptist Church where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and served as Sunday School Director for many years.

She worked many years as a secretary and clerk for Architecture Six, Barry County Electric, and retired after serving at the Calcasieu Parish School Board.

She is survived by a daughter, Darlene Creasman and her husband, Mike, of Lake Charles; their children Captain Tyler Creasman USAF and his wife Nina of Charleston SC and Chris Creasman of Lake Charles; two sons, Rev. James E. Stewart, II and his wife Janell and their son Dru Stewart of Cassville, MO, and Scot W. Stewart and his wife Bonita of Longville and their children Millicent Chautin and her husband Dustin, Jr. of Waxahachie, TX, Scot W. "Walt"" Stewart II, Longville, LA and Ashley Barrow and her husband Sgt. Joey Barrow of University Place, WA; one brother, J. T. Platt of Lake Charles. She is also survived by two great grandchildren, Bailey Chautin and Dustin Chautin, Jr. and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband of forty-nine years, James E. Stewart; her parents Robert Walter Platt and Lelia Byargeon Platt; sisters, Virginia Murphy, Weimer McCroskey, Marie Mitchell and Jo Regan and brothers Robert Platt, Jr. Lloyd Platt, and William Platt.

A celebration of service will be at 10:00 AM Tuesday at Sale Street Baptist Church. The Rev. Randy Edwards and her son, Rev. James E. Stewart, II, will officiate. Burial will be in Prien Memorial Park Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5:00 PM until 9:00 PM at Johnson Funeral Home on Monday, August 22. Visitation at the church will begin at 9:00 AM Tuesday.

The family has suggested that donations in Mrs. Stewart's memory be made to the Sale Street Baptist Church Building Fund or the Baptist Collegiate Ministry at McNeese State University.