Sandra Bernice

Stewart

In Loving Memory of Sandra Bernice Stewart
October 11, 1941 - November 4, 2026

Sandra Stewart, age 85, of Beavercreek, Oregon, was called home to Heaven on November 4, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family.

Born on October 11, 1941, in Portland, Oregon, to Ammon Leitzel and Corliss (Leitzel) Peisley, Sandra grew up with a deep appreciation for family, hard work, and the quiet beauty of God's creation. Her faith was an important part of her life from an early age. In fact, as a young girl, she once considered becoming a nun - a reflection of the devotion and love for God that would remain a guiding force throughout her life.

On April 28, 1962, Sandra married the love of her life, Ralph Stewart. Together, they built a life and family grounded in faith, commitment, partnership, and unconditional love.

Through 64 years of marriage, they shared life's joys and challenges, creating a home and a family that would become Sandra's greatest earthly blessing. Sandra was, above all else, the heart of her family. As a devoted wife and mother to Richard, Robert, Tracey, Michael, Kristi, Stephen, Carla, William, Benjamin, and Melinda, she poured her love into raising her children and grandchildren, and creating a home where everyone felt welcome, valued, and cherished.

Her greatest joy was nurturing those she loved, and she carried that same devotion into her role as a proud and doting grandmother to 29 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Each generation has been blessed by her steady love, gentle guidance, and the special place she made for them in her heart.

Sandra lived her faith not simply through words, but through a lifetime of quiet service, compassion, and kindness. Her hands were rarely still. Whether tending the farm and garden, preserving the harvest through canning, preparing home-cooked meals, baking for family and friends, or lifting someone up in prayer, she found joy in caring for others. Her home was a place of warmth and welcome, and those who entered it were made to feel that they belonged.

She embodied the simple but profound truth of 1 Corinthians 13: love is patient, love is kind. She demonstrated that love in the everyday moments - in the meals prepared, the hands extended, the family gathered, and the countless ways she put others before herself. She understood that the greatest gifts in life were not things, but faith, family, and the love shared between them.

Sandra's legacy is one that will live far beyond her years. It can be found in the family she and Ralph built, in the generations who will carry forward her values, in the traditions she created, and in the countless lives made brighter by her kindness. The lessons she taught, the love she gave, and the faith she lived will continue to grow through those who were fortunate enough to call her wife, mother, grandmother, sister, or friend.

She leaves behind to cherish her memory her beloved husband, Ralph; her ten children and their spouses; grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and a multitude of extended family members and dear friends whose lives were forever brightened by her presence. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ammon Leitzel and Corliss Leitzel Peisley, and her sister, Lynn Leitzel McCall.

Though her family will miss her beyond measure, they find comfort in knowing that her faith has become sight, her earthly work is complete, and she is now at peace in the presence of her Lord. The love she planted in the hearts of her family will continue to grow for generations to come.

"Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her." - Proverbs 31:28