2023ObituariesTommy Mark Stewart

May 7, 1973 – February 26, 2023

Tommy Mark Stewart, 49, died unexpectedly on Feb. 26 as the result of a massive heart attack.  His grieving family takes comfort in knowing that he is now in heaven with his beloved father, Tommy Ellis Stewart.

Left to cherish his memory are:  his daughters Elizabeth and Madeline Stewart; his mother, Wanda Stewart; brother, Shawn Stewart; sister, Amy Stewart and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Although his life was too short, it was very rich. He grew up in a loving Christian family in Denham Springs, the second of three children. His early years were filled with many activities: little league baseball, football, BREC soccer, cub scouts, karate lessons, Sunday School, RA’s and other church activities as well fishing with his dad.

Mark loved going to Baptist Summer Camp, but the thing he loved most of all was fishing with his father.  He continued those expeditions into his adulthood. His dad was an amazing bass fisherman and the times Mark spent on the water with him remained one of Mark’s most cherished memories throughout his life.

After graduating from DSHS and ITT College, he secured a job at Exxon as an electrician.  He signed up as ‘Tommy Stewart’ in the workplace, which thrilled his dad.  So Mark Stewart was known as ‘Tommy Stewart’ throughout his career!  After the death of his father, Mark decided to be known as ‘Tommy Stewart’ for the rest of his life. However, he said his immediate family may still call him Mark.

Eventually, he was offered a very lucrative position in Corporate Management with Dow Chemical in Houston.  That job was extremely stressful and he wanted to quit many times, but continued on for years due to pressure from upper management.  Finally, he asked for early retirement and despite being repeatedly asked to stay, he was very determined to leave.

He came home last month to spend time with family before leaving on extensive camping trips he had planned for years. He also loved being outside in nature and he dreamed of a way of relieving stress that had built up over the years of being in a stressful job and living in the  big city of Houston. He wanted to travel all the way up both coasts to Canada. His plans were finalized but he wanted to stay in Baton Rouge until after his 50^th birthday on May 7.  Although we miss him terribly, we know that he was happy and we are thankful that he was at home with loved ones, not in Houston or far away in a campground when he passed away.