Emma Elizabeth (Strain) Stewart passed away peacefully at age 101 at her home in Warrensburg, MO on Friday July 1, 2022.

Emma was born to Philip and Ambroneta (Smith) Strain in Garnett, Kansas on May 20, 1921.

She received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from University of Kansas and taught public school music for a year on the Kansas/Missouri border.

While at KU, she met Robert (Bob) Stewart, and they married on June 30, 1956, and had 3 daughters:  Cindy, Anne and Kathy.

Then she returned to KU for her Bachelor of Arts in Music and then her Master of Music degree.  Emma taught at both Bacone College for one year, and Illinois Wesleyan for four years prior to her marriage, and continued an active private piano studio as she raised her daughters.

Bob and Emma moved to Warrensburg, Missouri in 1960 and were active members of First Presbyterian Church.  In 1973, she and Bob created the first ever orchestra program in the Warrensburg public schools, and Emma served as teacher/conductor.  In addition to her deep love of music, Emma was also an intrepid traveler, a master seamstress, and a voracious reader.  She was preceded in death by Bob and her brother James.

She is survived by her three daughters, Cindy (Bill) Spicer, Anne (Dan) Green, and Kathy (Jeff) Privatt; six grandchildren, Steven (Kali) Spicer, Brett (Monica) Spicer, John Green, Sherman Green, Elizabeth Green, and Mary Green; and one great granddaughter, Matilda Spicer.

There will be a celebration of life on Sunday, July 10 ^th at 2:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Warrensburg, with Reverend Don Wilson officiating.