Marguerite Stewart of Hays, joined her loved ones in Heaven on her 93rd birthday, January 29, 2026. She had lived at Via Christi Village in Hays since June 10, 2024.
Marguerite was born on her family’s dairy farm in rural Clay County, Kansas on January 29, 1933, to Quin B. and Mary M. (Benfer) Steenbock. As soon as she was old enough, she looked after her younger siblings Helen, Raymond, and Marvin, and fixed breakfast while her parents were doing the morning milking on their dairy farm. When she was older, she also helped milk the cows and many other farm chores. She attended a one-room school from first to eighth grade.
In the fall of 1947, she became a freshman at Longford Rural High School in the small town of Longford, Kansas, where she met her future husband, Wayne. They dated for three years, and after her graduation in May of 1951, they were married September 2, 1951. Their marriage lasted more than 72 years and resulted in four children: Brenda, Susan, Brian, and Sharon.
Marguerite took great pride in being a homemaker and mother. She kept a spotless house and was a wonderful cook and baker. When anyone came to visit and walked through the kitchen, they were met with the sight and aroma of freshly baked cookies, cake, pie, or cinnamon rolls. She was also a very talented seamstress who sewed most of her three daughters’ clothes until they were in high school and made many of their bridesmaid dresses when they married. When granddaughters came along, she sewed for them as well. In her later years Marguerite rarely sat down without some handwork to keep her busy and embroidered many sets of tea towels for her granddaughters and quilt blocks for baby quilts for her great grandkids. Every quilt she gifted to her family was sewn with love and care in every stitch and will provide cherished memories of her for years to come. She was a faithful member of the Tuesday Morning Quilter’s Group at First United Methodist Church (FUMC) for many years and looked forward to their weekly gatherings. She loved the fellowship and satisfaction of completing another quilt to be auctioned off at the church’s annual Peddler’s Fair. Like her mother, she enjoyed gardening and growing flowers and houseplants, and she, too, taught her daughters to cook at a young age so they could fix supper while she worked in the yard.
Marguerite was a very active member of FUMC and participated in countless ways after becoming a member in 1964. She taught pre-school and first grade Sunday School, helped with Bible School and Kids’ Club, and accompanied Children’s Choir. She was a member of Council on Ministries, Ad Board, and a Stephen Minister. Serving as the church wedding coordinator, training and scheduling acolytes, and participating in United Methodist Women (UMW) brought her great fulfillment and joy. She served as president of her local UMW chapter and also as Hays District President. She supervised countless Peddler’s Fair luncheons and funeral dinners. She and Wayne enjoyed delivering Meals on Wheels and visiting other shut-ins. A favorite memory of grandkids is going along to deliver cookies or a piece of cake to neighbors and nursing home residents. Marguerite and Wayne always agreed that their best friends were their church friends.
Marguerite was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Wayne, her brother-in-law Jack (Helen), and sister-in-law Audrey (Marvin).
She is survived by daughters Brenda Hinton, Hays, and Sue Riley, Wichita, son Brian Stewart (Alicia) Leawood, and daughter Sharon Bunting (Rob), Wichita. Her nine grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren include: Blythe Brown (Mike), daughter Emersyn and son Ellis, Victoria; Breanne Nelson (partner Mike), daughter Shiloh, Merriam; Jennifer Hartman (Jeremy), Lillington, North Carolina; Courtney Waller (Andy), son Cash and daughter Ava, Wichita; Hannah Marchand (Curtis IV ), sons Curtis V and Vincent, and daughter Riley, Overland Park; Sydney Stewart, Leawood; Katelyn Miller (Jordan), and daughter Mia, Overland Park; Andrew Bunting (Jessica), son Camden and daughter Chloe, Kansas City, Missouri; and Alex Bunting, Wichita.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at First United Methodist Church with Pastor Troy Miller officiating. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm until 7:00 on Friday, February 13, 2026, at Hays Memorial Chapel Funeral Home, and from 10:00 am until service time on Saturday at the church. Private family inurnment will be at a later date in Fort Hays Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to First United Methodist Church or to St. John’s Chapel at Via Christi Village, Hays. Condolences and memories of Marguerite may be left for her family at www.haysmemorial.com