Lou Bertha White Stewart

“Today I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered.”  - Dr. Seuss

Lou Bertha White Stewart, the 9th child of the late James Sr and Hattie White, was born May 23,1953, in Loris, SC. She garnered an appreciation for faith early in life, being baptized as a young girl.

Lou found a love for cooking, as that was a skill she shared with her mother and siblings. She enjoyed learning about the world and planning to see as much of it as possible. Growing up in the Loris area, she was educated in the Horry County School system. She graduated from Green Sea High School in the first integrated graduating class.

An alumnus of Benedict College in Columbia SC, Lou excelled in her studies,and found lifelong connections through sisterhood in the Psi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in 1972.  She received her B.A. in Elementary Education and Teaching in 1975, and began her 42-year teaching career in Edgefield SC.  She also met her former husband, Leroy Stewart, at Benedict, and they married in 1977. Lou & Leroy began to travel while serving in the Army.  Lou received her M.A. in Reading from Austin Peay State Univ. in 1985. while living at Ft. Campbell, KY. Her teaching career included TN, KY, SC, IN, and LA.  She retired from Fairfield Primary School in 2011 as a literacy coach. She taught for two years with D.O.D.D.S. - Germany and teaching first and second grade in Abu Dhabi 2011- 2018. 

Lou lived all across SC (Loris, Green Sea, Finklea, Edgefield, Columbia, Blythewood, Greenville, Piedmont); Ft. Campbell, KY; Clarksville, TN; Stuttgart and Pforzheim, Germany; Lafayette, IN; Ft. Polk, LA, Hawaii, WA, MO, CA, MD, CO, and TX. As of 2025, she visited or lived in 47 states.  She journeyed extensively to other countries, including Belgium, Austria, Canada, the Caribbean, Germany, Italy, South Korea, England, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Kenya, Egypt, UAE, Cambodia, Thailand, Oman, Argentina, Uruguay, and Antarctica. She touched 6 continents, only missing Australia.

In 2007, Lou was diagnosed with cancer.  Her faith never waivered, never waned, never stopped.  The Lord called her & removed her pain on March 17, 2026, surrounded by her children, family and close friends.

Lou leaves to cherish her memories: children, LaRon and Amanda, Grandchildren: Gabrielle, Liam, Lathen, Lennox, and a newly acquired grand-pup, who has already earned his Ph.D. ( Dr. Cornelius Pupper ). 

Siblings: Shirley Scott, Deloris Jordan, Marjorie, Arnetha, Walter (Kathy), Curtis (Eartha), Patricia, Andrew, Michael (Renee), and Wanda, a host of nieces and nephews, extended family members, and a myriad of lifelong friends, coworkers, acquaintances. 

She was preceded to rest by her parents, James and Hattie, and siblings Charvella, Pearl Teague, Edward, James Jr., Zack, and Thelma Stark.  

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”  - Dr. Seuss

A celebration of life will be held for Lou at Mount Nebo Missionary Baptist Church, Loris, SC with interment at Mt. Rona Cemetery, followed by a repass and visitation with family.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Hattie White and Lou Bertha Stewart Endowment at Benedict College. Please contact Amanda Stewart (amanda0124.as@gmail.com) for details.

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