Virginia Stewart

Virginia Lea Stewart (85), devoted daughter of the late Mattie Josephine and Blanchard Leander Stewart, passed away peacefully on July 12, 2013. Born in Independence,Kansas on January 21,1928, Virginia?s family moved to Tulsa when she was a young girl. She graduated from Will Rogers High School in 1945. Virginia attended the University of Tulsa,where she was a member of theKappa Delta Sorority, and graduated with a Bachelor?s Degree in Fine Arts in 1949. After working for the ROTC on the TU campus, Virginia began her true career as a draftsman with Amerada Hess Oil Company. After years of gaining valuable experience,she accepted an opportunity to join Helmerich and Payne where she proudly dedicated more than 25 years of service as a draftsman, meticulously plotting maps by hand before retiring in 1992. Virginia regarded her H&P years as the most rewarding ofher professional career and even considered H&P and those she worked with her second family. Utilizing her talent and formal training as an artist, Virginia was humbled and took great pride in being asked to design Helmerich and Payne?s annual Christmas cards. As an accomplished painter and sculptor, the portraits, landscapes and abstract art she created over the years are prized treasures of her family. The greatest of her hobbies was reading. She was an avid collector of books and loved reading novelsby English authors. Her knowledge of history of the British Empire and in particular anything pertaining to England, Scotland and India, was nothing short of amazing. It was not uncommon for Virginia to readthroughout the entire night to finish a good novel. To say Virginia was a cat lover is an understatement.While her Siamese cats were her favorites, she took great care and enjoyed the friendships and amusement of all cats, whether hers or the strays she would take in and feed from around the neighborhood. Virginia was a loving,kind and selfless caregiver to her late mother and so appreciated the many acts of kindness routinely offered by neighbors and friends that loved her. Virginia is survived by: her loving sister, Joann Stewart Lukken (and brother- in-law, Robert M. Lukken); her adoring nieces, Diane Lukken of Dallas, Claudia Lukken Imel of Jenks, Lucia Lukken Hrncir of Dallas, and Adele Lukken Peterson of Eden Prairie, NIN, whose lives, various pursuits, and extended families she always followed with keen and loving interest. She is also survived by her five great-nieces and five great-nephews who were blessed to know and spend holidays with such a wonderful and entertaining Great Aunt. Visitation will be July 16, from noon to 5pm at Moore?s Rosewood Chapel, at 2570 S. Harvard. A private burial service will be held in Independence, KS on Wednesday,July 17, followed by a gathering of friends and family from 4:30 pm to 6 pm at the home of Joann and Bob Lukken. All friends are welcome to come and celebrate Virginia?s life. Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), 2910 Mohawk Blvd., Tulsa, OK 74110. Moore?s Rosewood, 918-744-1202

Virginia Stewart

January 21, 1928 - July 12, 2013