TRENTON, GA: Born April 24, 1929 to Andrew Lee Duvall & Addie Roberson Duvall, Sara Agnes “Sib” Duvall Stewart was the eighth of thirteen children. Sib & her siblings were raised in Rock Spring & LaFayette, GA where she met her late husband, Richard Anderson Stewart. They married on Christmas Day 1947 & raised five children, all of whom survive her. Chris Suits, Cathy Cureton, Clay (Laurie) Stewart, Carey (Susie) Stewart & Craig (Carola) Stewart.
Nana, as she was affectionately referred to by her children, grandchildren & most anyone close to her, was admired for kind heart, independence, life of simplicity & her unwavering loyalty to her family. She was a wonderful cook who will always be remembered for her homemade biscuits, chili, fried chicken & her “Nana” tea. She rarely used a recipe but when she did it was usually one that had been passed down by her mother or sisters.
An avid gardener, she had two green thumbs & could always resurrect the near-death plants that her various granddaughters would bring to her. She always had fresh flowers in her home & has passed her love of gardening to many of her children and grandchildren. Her sister, Annie Duvall Ridge owned & operated Ann-Other Florist on the square in Trenton. Sib worked alongside her for years creating beautiful arrangements to help family’s celebrate special occasions & honor their loved ones in passing. She continued to work & help the new owner’s transition into Dade County & learn the inner workings of such a tight knit community. She decided one day she was done & retired that very day. Once she made her mind up about something there was no changing it.
She spent her retirement on “the corner”, as many came to affectionately call her home. Her days were filled with yard work, gardening, cooking & babysitting grandchildren and great grandchildren. When you dropped by for a glass of sweet tea, she would sometimes, depending on the day, laugh & point to a sign hanging in her kitchen that read “Raising children is like being pecked to death by chickens.”
Three grandchildren were born within a 5-year span & they broke her in well with her new “Nana” title. They played hard & mischievous most of the time, and as she popped them with the “switch” she let them pick, she was always firm but fair. There was an 8-year lull before the next 6 grandchildren came along & she remained fair & sometimes firm but softened with age & they got by with much more. By the time the 3 great grandchildren, 8 great-great grandchildren & 1 great-great-great grandchild arrived, they could do anything they wanted.
Sib instilled in all of her family, the importance of family & what it meant to be there for each other. Many holidays & traditions were started on Nana’s corner, that are sure to be carried on for generations to come. Fish fries, Easter egg hunts & Sunday dinners are just a few that come to mind.
Her value of family & instilling the importance of a family bond was evident to the end. Her one wish has always been that she pass away at home with her dignity & not be placed in a nursing home. Her children, grandchildren & great grandchildren honored that wish to the end, providing 24-hour care for her the past three and a half years & she passed peacefully at home October 25th.
The family would like to thank Tapestry Hospice, Ann Hall Avina & Shelby Maddox for their incredible care they gave & the love & compassion they showed her.
Sib is predeceased by her husband, Richard Anderson (Dick) Stewart, brothers John & Tom Duvall, her Duvall sisters Helen Kelsey, Pauline Hurd, Clara Romer, Edith Cook, Dot Smith, Kat Capers, Annie Ridge and her son-in-law, Johnny Suits Sr.
Other than her children, Sib is survived by 3 siblings: Jenny Duvall Davis, Dan Duvall, & Brenda Duvall Campbell. Also surviving her are her grandchildren: Laura Cureton Cross, Johnny Suits Jr., Lee Cureton, Adam (Katie) Stewart, Aaron(Helen) Stewart, Kali (Dan) Cannon, Katie (Austin) Hale, Blake (Erica) Stewart, and Baylor Stewart. Great grandchildren are Maverick(Hannah) Suits, Zach Cross & Beth Cross. Great-great-grandchildren are: Addie Stewart, Juliette Stewart, Henry Stewart, Benjamin Stewart, Averi Hale, Carley Cannon, Claire Cannon & Andi Hale. Her great-great-great granddaughter is Evie Suits & she is also survived by a host of nieces & nephews.
Visitation will take place Wednesday October 27th from 5:00-8:00 p.m. at Moore Funeral Home & Thursday October 28th, from 10:00-11:00, with service immediately following. Burial will be at Trenton Baptist Cemetery. Ricky Studdard will officiate & grandsons will serve as pallbearers.