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Mrs. Mary Beth Robinson Stuart died January 2, 2025, at her residence at Covenant Village Retirement Center. Born June 9, 1931, in Opelika, Alabama, she was the daughter of Kathryn Sells and Alexander Jude Robinson. Her early years were lived in Auburn, Alabama, and she remained a "War Eagle" at heart. After graduation from East Alabama High School, she completed her BA degree in Bible at Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA in 1953. Following graduation she married James Gordon Stuart, a recent graduate of nearby Columbia Theological Seminary. They would spend the next forty-four years in pastorates located in Atlanta, Little Rock, Charlotte, Gastonia, and Blowing Rock, before settling into Covenant Village in 2006. Mrs. Stuart enjoyed volunteer involvement with Meals on Wheels, United Way, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts, as well as various church activities. She returned to college in 1977 to take courses pursuant to earning a teaching certificate. She taught at Ashley Junior High School in a program targeting "at risk" teens in the Gaston County Exceptional Children's Program until 1987. Mrs. Stuart enjoyed tennis and served as President of the Gastonia Women's Tennis League when tennis was experiencing major growth in the city. For three years she coached the Ashbrook High School girls' tennis team. Her pleasure and energies were mainly directed toward supporting her husband in his ministry and nurturing their children and grandchildren. In addition to her husband, parents, brother, Jude Robinson, and grandson, Baker Stuart, Mrs. Stuart is survived by her son, Jeb Stuart (Mari) (West Palm Beach, FL), daughters Elizabeth Mecum (Gastonia), Leslie Reid (Mooresville), and Tyler Bullock (Dale) (Gastonia). Her grandchildren, the joy of her life, are Lauren Empey (Duston) (Stanley), Lexie Stuart, Garnett Bullock, Bailey Bullock, Preston Bullock, Madison Coe (Trevor) and Harrison Reid (Charlotte), Colin Stuart (West Palm Beach, FL) and Courtney Stuart (New York). The family will receive friends at Covenant Village on Saturday, January 11, 2025, from 2-4 pm. The inurnment at First Presbyterian Church Columbarium will be private. The family wishes to express their sincerest gratitude to the devoted staff at Covenant Village for the respectful and loving care they provided to Mrs. Stuart, especially in the last few years of her life. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Covenant Village Memorial Fund, 1351 Robinwood Road, Gastonia, NC 28054, Crisis Assistance Ministry, 805 W. Airline Avenue, Gastonia, NC 28052, or to a benevolence of one's choice. Cavin Cook Funeral Home & Crematory, Mooresville, is serving the Stuart family. Condolences may be made to the family at www.cavin-cook.com.

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Mary Beth Stuart

June 9, 1931 - January 2, 2025