Sean R. “Soup” Steward, 42, of Hiawatha, died Monday morning, April 20, 2015, surrounded by his family at the Mosiac Life Care in St. Joseph, Missouri.

Soup, as he was known by family and friends, was born at Hiawatha, August 18, 1972, one of four children born to Milton and Roberta Grier Steward and had lived nearly all of his life at Hiawatha where he attended schools, graduating high school with the class of 1990.  Soup worked at the Hiawatha Daily World for a time prior to cooking at the Holiday Inn in Lawrence.  Soup worked and studied hard at St. Luke’s Nursing College to receive a bachelor’s degree in nursing.  His full time job as a registered nurse was at Shawnee Mission Medical Center.  Through the years, he also spoke to nursing classes about his kidney and health problems he has at an early age.  Soup also worked for Cascade Nursing Agency and traveled to hospitals such as:  Atchison, Hiawatha, Providence in Kansas City, Shawnee Mission, Cushing at Leavenworth, and Warrensburg.  Also, he was currently working on the cardiac floor for Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka, the past 6 years.

He was a member of the Church of God Seventh Day in Hiawatha.  Soup was an honorary member of Savdout Motorcycle Club.  He was a hard working nurse, a good person, with a great sense of humor, and treated people the way he wanted to be treated.  He never complained about his own health issues.

Surviving are his parents Milton and Roberta “Bert” of Hiawatha; a daughter Ciera Winfrey of Bedford,Texas, two brothers:  DeRon (fiancé Christena Gilfillan) Steward of Hiawatha, Avery Steward of Baldwin City, a sister Sara (Phil) Roberts of Rancho Cucamonga, CA; his grandmother Louanna Grier of Hiawatha; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and a host of friends.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather Charles Grier; and paternal grandparents Harry and Rose Stevens.

A Celebration of Soup’s life will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, April 24, at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center in Hiawatha, with Malcolm Grier officiating.  Interment will follow at Hiawatha Cemetery.

Friends may call at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Hiawatha after 10 a.m. Thursday where the family will meet from 6 until 8 that evening.

Memorial contributions are suggested to the Sean Steward Memorial Fund which may be sent in care of the funeral home, 124 S 7th St., 66434. 

A special message may be sent to the family at www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com