Jeanetta Davidson Stewart

Jeanetta Davidson Stewart entered this world on November 13, 1929, the fifth and youngest child of Leafy Richardson Davidson and Benjamin Franklin Davidson. She passed peacefully on December 10, 2025, with her daughters by her side. Jeanetta attended Wells High School, graduating as Valedictorian at the age of 16. During her years in Wells, she met a dashing young man, Belvin Stewart, who would one day become her husband. Before their story fully began, Jeanetta moved to Houston to live with her oldest sister and brother-in-law, Velda and Lilbert Ivie, and their two sons, Jerry and Ray. While there, she worked in the insurance business and attended the University of Houston. She fondly remembered the bus rides downtown, the work she enjoyed, the friends and family she loved, and the celebrations in the streets marking the end of World War II. Belvin, a Marine veteran, returned from the war, and on January 6, 1952, they married and moved to Lake Jackson, where he worked for Dow Chemical. During those years, they welcomed two daughters, Jana and Terri. In 1959, the Stewart family moved to Lufkin, where they founded Belvin Stewart and Company, a construction firm. Jeanetta worked alongside Belvin throughout the years, handling the financial and administrative responsibilities as they built their business and raised their family. Those who knew Jeanetta remember her as an avid gardener with a deep love of flowers. Countless hours were spent tending the gardens at their home on Reen Street and later in Crown Colony. She was a devoted member of the Dogwood Garden Club and later helped establish the Pine Tree Garden Club, becoming a founding member. Her passion for flowers led her to become a nationally certified Master Judge, a role that took her to events across East Texas and brought cherished friendships. In later years, she shared her knowledge and leadership as a member of the Lufkin Landscape Taskforce, an organization dedicated to beautifying the city. She delighted in taking family members on drives around town to show them the group’s progress. Jeanetta’s love of history and pride in her family was evident in her memberships in the Historical and Literary Club of Lufkin, Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). After Belvin’s passing in 1983, Jeanetta chose to pursue another long-held interest: interior design. She enrolled at Stephen F. Austin University, which accepted her earlier credits from the University of Houston. With her prerequisites complete and a minor in business, she concentrated on earning her bachelor’s degree (Summa Cum Laude) and became a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers. She continued practicing well into her 80s, helping friends and family create homes and businesses suited to their needs and dreams. Jeanetta is remembered as a woman of profound faith and deep biblical knowledge. She faithfully taught fifth-grade Sunday School for many years, later leading young married couples and other adult classes. One of the most meaningful experiences of her life was heeding the call of God to join the founding members of Christ Congregational Church in 2010. From the earliest days downtown through the planning and construction of the church’s beautiful facility, Jeanetta remained devoted to the congregation, the pastor and staff, and the mission of inviting others to hear the word of God. Jeanetta was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Belvin; her siblings and their spouses, Velda and Lilbert Ivie, Vernell and Houston Ivie, Denver and Claudia Davidson, and Norman and Margaret Davidson; and her beloved nephews Ray Ivie, Gene Davidson, and Robert Lee Davidson. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Jana and Ben Scharnberg and Terri and Neal Smith; her grandchildren, Julie and Stewart Scharnberg, Sarah and Peyton Stephens, Allie Smith, and Hannah and Todd Vandevoir; her great-granddaughters, Lauren Scharnberg, Madeleine Scharnberg, and Cora Vandevoir; and her nephews and nieces Jerry Ivie, Homer Stewart Hawthorn, Rita Starr, and Judy Turner. A celebration of Jeanetta’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 15, 2025, at Christ Congregational Church (105 Saddle Creek Drive, Lufkin TX 75904). Visitation with the family will follow the church service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to Christ Congregational Church. Burial is under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home.

Jeanetta Davidson Stewart

November 13, 1929 - December 10, 2025