Vera was born March 11, 1933 (although she never disclosed her age).  She passed from this life on June 7, 2022.  Her parents, Myrtle and Dan Bragg, lived in the farming community of Buffalo Springs, Texas in a house with no indoor plumbing. Vera had 12 brothers and sisters. Vera moved to Henrietta, Texas where she met Don Stuart, a former Navy corpsman who was then working several jobs at Clay County Hospital. They were married on April 3, 1953. The hospital administration business led Vera and Don to hospitals in Duncan, Oklahoma for twenty years, where they raised their two sons – Don and Jim.  The journey continued to Houston and then to Cairo, Egypt where Don was responsible for opening a large, new hospital – and then back to Houston.  Don passed away unexpectedly in 1989 when Vera was only 56 years old.

Vera cheered each gathering she attended and was always game for adventure. In Cairo, she played in a bridge group with Omar Sharif, the movie star. Women were not allowed to drive in Cairo at that time. Once, when running late for a bridge party with a slow-moving assigned driver, she demanded he change seats with her whereupon she slid under the wheel and roared off to the party at a high speed. Another time, she left Cairo with a tour group only to be detained in another mid-east country with a visa deficiency. The police blocked her travel and deposited her at the American Embassy while the tour departed. Asked later if she was scared, Vera replied, "No, I just read some magazines because I knew Don would get it worked out." When he did, she hired transportation and met her tour group at another city along the itinerary.

Vera missed Dad every day and never remarried.  But Dad went to heaven and picked three grandsons that were born in 1990 and 1994 and Vera had a new focus.  She also continued her love of travel that had blossomed while living in Cairo.  Vera traveled with friends from Duncan and Houston, as well as taking her grandsons on many trips.  And Vera was always ready for a bridge game or to volunteer at the Houston Rodeo.  Mom's life was a journey that could never have been dreamed of in Buffalo Springs.

Faith was important to Vera.  She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Duncan and then a proud member of Second Baptist in Houston.  God's grace and support was the only way Mom made it through the death of Dad and her son Jim.

Vera was preceded in death by her husband Leslie D. Stuart and her son Jimmy D. Stuart, with whom she shared a special bond.  Her parents and all 12 siblings are deceased. She is survived by her son, Don Stuart and his wife Loraine, Jim's wife Paige Stuart, grandsons Seth and his wife Alyssa, Clay, and Hunter and his wife Kate, and great grandsons Logan and William. Mom was also blessed by the warm embrace from Dad's family.  Dad's older sister Mary and her children Mary Ruth, H.C. and Bob, as well as Dad's brother Buck and his mother Bertice loved and supported Mom her entire life.

As Mom's health failed, she was supported by many friends in Houston, but the time and love Shirley Bailey devoted to Mom and the care and love provided by Yasmin Lopez and Touching Hearts Home Care were beyond measure and brought great comfort to Mom.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 16 from 4pm to 7pm at Klein Funeral Home, 16131 Champion Forest Dr., Houston. A graveside service will be held in Duncan, Oklahoma at a later date, where Mom will be laid to rest next to Dad and Jim

Rest in peace Mom – it was quite a life.