1935
Bessie
2017
Bessie Waters Stidham
August 12, 1935 — August 14, 2017
Bessie Waters Stidham
(8/12/35 – 8/14/17)
On August 14, 2017, Bessie Stidham passed away in her sleep after a long fight with COPD. She had a full life and was very thankful with the way her life turned out.
As an Okie from Muskogee, she was raised in a God-fearing home. The daughter of David and Louise Waters, she was raised by parents who had experienced the Great Depression. Her Dad was the President of Phoenix Federal Savings and Loan. Her Mom managed rental properties and raised three children. Bessie was the middle child, between her sisters, Anna Marie and Janet. For command performances, she and her sisters would play trios on one piano, to make their parents proud. Bessie thrived with an optimistic heart and a love of life.
Her hard work and intelligence were confirmed by her membership in both The National Junior Honor Society and The National Senior Honor Society. Bessie graduated from Central High School in 1953. Then she was off to Oklahoma A & M College (now OSU) to get her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. There she became a member of Chi Omega sorority. They were fortunate to have her beauty and brains. While in the sorority, she served as treasurer.
A blind date with Nett sealed the deal on a relationship that would take her through 62 years of love, laughter and a wonderful family which resulted in three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Bessie really enjoyed using her creative side through her writing of vignettes about her life and travels and the children’s Christmas morning scavenger hunts. She also played the piano, painted, knitted, crocheted, and did ceramics, using her own kiln to create original pieces.
Bessie loved to travel, with cruising being her favorite way to explore new destinations. She enjoyed playing tennis, garden club, square dancing, bridge, logic puzzles, many computer games, and gardening along with canning and sharing her harvests. Bessie put in many years of serving the Girl Scouts as a Troop Leader, Program Chairman for the Council, and as a Board Member.
Starting with a single rent house, Bessie and Nett grew their real estate investments in Monroe into a full-time business. She enjoyed working with bankers and doing the bookkeeping required for this enterprise.
Bessie was generous and caring and always willing to help friends. She enjoyed just having people over for coffee, gathering friends for her homemade pasta dinners or her famous Ground Hog Soup parties.
Bessie loved her home on Bayou DeSiard and thought that it was the most wonderful place to live. But more importantly, she loved her family. One of her last comments was on how very happy she was with how her children had turned out in life.
Durango, Colorado was also a special place. She and Nett loved spending their summers and some winters there. They enjoyed the many outdoor activities offered by the mountains and the area. They made many friends while there.
Bessie was preceded in death by parents, David and Louise Waters, and her dear grandson, Nicholas Stidham.
Bessie is survived by her devoted husband of 61 years, Nett Stidham, along with her two sons and daughter- David and wife Kim, of Dallas, TX; Terry and his wife, Lauren, of New Orleans, LA; and Margaret Stidham, of Dallas, TX; her sisters, Anna Marie Bishop and husband David, of Durango, CO, Janet Johnston and husband Charlie, of Claremore, OK, her brother-in-law, Earl Stidham, of Taloga, OK; grandchildren, Brad Stidham and wife Lynsey, Claire Despot and husband Connor, Jeff Stidham and wife Mallory, Benjamin Stidham and Grayson Stidham; great-grandchildren, Avery and Emma Stidham and Camille Despot; and numerous nieces, nephews, and many special friends.
Special thanks to: St Joseph’s Hospice: Shannon Newman, Shelly Nugent, Jennifer Martinez, Sharon Dear, Karen Kaufman, and Jarrod Hawthorne.
A memorial service celebrating Bessie’s life will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, September 9, 2017 at North Monroe Baptist Church with Rev. Warren Eckhardt and Rev. Jarrod Hawthorne officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers Memorial donations can be made to:
North Monroe Baptist Church Building Fund: 210 Finks Hideaway Rd, Monroe, LA 71203 (318) 343-4730 or northmonroe.com/give.
Wellspring: 1515 Jackson St, Monroe, LA 71202 (318) 651-9314 or wellspringofnela.org.
American Lung Association, 55 W. Wacker Drive, Ste 1150, Chicago, IL 60601 (800)548-8252 or lung.org.
Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com
(8/12/35 – 8/14/17)
On August 14, 2017, Bessie Stidham passed away in her sleep after a long fight with COPD. She had a full life and was very thankful with the way her life turned out.
As an Okie from Muskogee, she was raised in a God-fearing home. The daughter of David and Louise Waters, she was raised by parents who had experienced the Great Depression. Her Dad was the President of Phoenix Federal Savings and Loan. Her Mom managed rental properties and raised three children. Bessie was the middle child, between her sisters, Anna Marie and Janet. For command performances, she and her sisters would play trios on one piano, to make their parents proud. Bessie thrived with an optimistic heart and a love of life.
Her hard work and intelligence were confirmed by her membership in both The National Junior Honor Society and The National Senior Honor Society. Bessie graduated from Central High School in 1953. Then she was off to Oklahoma A & M College (now OSU) to get her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. There she became a member of Chi Omega sorority. They were fortunate to have her beauty and brains. While in the sorority, she served as treasurer.
A blind date with Nett sealed the deal on a relationship that would take her through 62 years of love, laughter and a wonderful family which resulted in three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Bessie really enjoyed using her creative side through her writing of vignettes about her life and travels and the children’s Christmas morning scavenger hunts. She also played the piano, painted, knitted, crocheted, and did ceramics, using her own kiln to create original pieces.
Bessie loved to travel, with cruising being her favorite way to explore new destinations. She enjoyed playing tennis, garden club, square dancing, bridge, logic puzzles, many computer games, and gardening along with canning and sharing her harvests. Bessie put in many years of serving the Girl Scouts as a Troop Leader, Program Chairman for the Council, and as a Board Member.
Starting with a single rent house, Bessie and Nett grew their real estate investments in Monroe into a full-time business. She enjoyed working with bankers and doing the bookkeeping required for this enterprise.
Bessie was generous and caring and always willing to help friends. She enjoyed just having people over for coffee, gathering friends for her homemade pasta dinners or her famous Ground Hog Soup parties.
Bessie loved her home on Bayou DeSiard and thought that it was the most wonderful place to live. But more importantly, she loved her family. One of her last comments was on how very happy she was with how her children had turned out in life.
Durango, Colorado was also a special place. She and Nett loved spending their summers and some winters there. They enjoyed the many outdoor activities offered by the mountains and the area. They made many friends while there.
Bessie was preceded in death by parents, David and Louise Waters, and her dear grandson, Nicholas Stidham.
Bessie is survived by her devoted husband of 61 years, Nett Stidham, along with her two sons and daughter- David and wife Kim, of Dallas, TX; Terry and his wife, Lauren, of New Orleans, LA; and Margaret Stidham, of Dallas, TX; her sisters, Anna Marie Bishop and husband David, of Durango, CO, Janet Johnston and husband Charlie, of Claremore, OK, her brother-in-law, Earl Stidham, of Taloga, OK; grandchildren, Brad Stidham and wife Lynsey, Claire Despot and husband Connor, Jeff Stidham and wife Mallory, Benjamin Stidham and Grayson Stidham; great-grandchildren, Avery and Emma Stidham and Camille Despot; and numerous nieces, nephews, and many special friends.
Special thanks to: St Joseph’s Hospice: Shannon Newman, Shelly Nugent, Jennifer Martinez, Sharon Dear, Karen Kaufman, and Jarrod Hawthorne.
A memorial service celebrating Bessie’s life will be held at 2:00 pm, Saturday, September 9, 2017 at North Monroe Baptist Church with Rev. Warren Eckhardt and Rev. Jarrod Hawthorne officiating. Visitation for family and friends will be one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers Memorial donations can be made to:
North Monroe Baptist Church Building Fund: 210 Finks Hideaway Rd, Monroe, LA 71203 (318) 343-4730 or northmonroe.com/give.
Wellspring: 1515 Jackson St, Monroe, LA 71202 (318) 651-9314 or wellspringofnela.org.
American Lung Association, 55 W. Wacker Drive, Ste 1150, Chicago, IL 60601 (800)548-8252 or lung.org.
Online Registry/Condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Bessie Waters Stidham, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Saturday, September 9, 2017
1:00 - 2:00 pm (Central time)
North Monroe Baptist Church
Memorial Service
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Starts at 2:00 pm (Central time)
North Monroe Baptist Church
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