Obituary

Joy Smith Stegner

Joy Smith Stegner, 71, of Kearney, MO, passed away on the morning of Saturday, April 13, 2024 at her home due to complications from a recent illness.

She was the youngest of four children born to the late Elbert and Ellen Smith on October 2, 1952, in
Kentwood, LA, and grew up on a dairy farm. Joy placed her faith in Jesus and was baptized on June 17,
1962. She attended Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe, LA, where she completed her 5-year
Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy degree in 3 and a half years.

Joy met the love of her life, George Stegner, while taking night school classes at Louisiana State
University in Baton Rouge, LA, and they were married on November 15, 1975. Their family continued to
grow with the birth of two sons, Jeffrey in 1982, and Steven in 1984. Joy was a career pharmacist
(retiring in 2016) who maintained her registration in 5 different states all while being a loving, devoted
mother to her two sons. As a mom, Joy never missed an opportunity to see her sons’ band and choir
concerts or little league baseball games.

Joy was an active member of several organizations, including the Daughters of the American Revolution
and the Daughters of the War of 1812, where she enjoyed helping other women trace their genealogy.
Joy was also a member of the Mustang Club of Greater Kansas City, serving as the membership chair for
20 years. In addition, she was a member of the Mustang Club of America, where she served on the national board of directors, participated on multiple committees, was a Gold-Card Judge, and earned her
pin last weekend for having judged at 50 national shows. George and Joy loved to travel across the country to various Mustang Club of America car shows. Over the course of 18 months between October
2021 and March 2023, they visited 43 states in her Joyride Mustang and checked off her 50th state by
cruising Hawaii.

In addition to her membership responsibilities, Joy enjoyed watching LSU and Kansas City football, as
well as working on beautiful, quilted masterpieces with her mother-in-law, Jeanette. Besides Joy’s love for
the Lord, her greatest passion was her love for her family—especially as Gramma to two grandchildren,
Mykah (age 10) and Phoebe (age 3). She loved going on coffee dates and shopping with Mykah and
reading to Phoebe.

Joy was preceded in death by her parents, Elbert and Ellen Smith, and her grandson, Gideon Stegner.

She is lovingly survived by her husband, George Stegner; her sons, Jeff Stegner (Richard) and Steven
Stegner (Lisa), and her granddaughters, Mykah and Phoebe. Joy is also survived by her mother-in-law,
Jeanette Stegner; her sister, Carolyn Baxter (Henry); brothers, Johnnie Smith and Lea Smith (Wanda);
numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and many more beloved chosen family
and friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorial contributions to Kansas City Hospice and Palliative Care.

Funeral services will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 19, 2024, at First Baptist Church of Kearney,
MO, 303 S. Grove St., Kearney, MO 64060. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 2:00 to
4:00 p.m. A fellowship meal will follow.

Burial will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, 2024, at Wesley Chapel Cemetery, 13992 MO-N,
Pilot Grove, MO 65276.

Arrangements in care of Fry-Bross & Spidle Funeral Home, Kearney.

Please pray for the family.

Prayers Please

Theople Hurst – Home with a brace
Judy Dickinson – Foot recovering nicely from surgery
Wanda Smith – Cataract surgery today
Kay Roberts – Knee surgery today
Mary Varnado – Still hospitalized in Hammond

Baptist Press

https://www.baptistpress.com

Read the Bible Every Day

April 17
Deuteronomy 19:1 – 30:20
Psalm 46:1-11
Proverbs 11:12-13
Luke 11:29-54

Missions

It’s never too late to contribute to the Annie Armstrong Offering which is used to tell people in North America about Jesus.

Senior Adult Luncheon

Yesterday, the senior adults had lunch at Duke’s in Watson yesterday. The food was delicious. The service was excellent.

The Sunday School Lesson continues with the life of Jacob.

I hope you will study this lesson in your churh. If you do not have a Sunday School class in a church near your, please feel free to join us at FBC, Kentwood.

Thanks for praying today.

Your prayers make a difference!

Anna Lee