Brenda Fay Wainwright
June 30, 1944 – October 1, 2024
Fay Wainwright made her journey to her heavenly home peacefully on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at the young-at heart age of 80 after a short battle with lymphoma. She was born in 1944 in North Carolina as a twin to Ray and sister to Richard. After moving to West Monroe with family, Fay attended West Monroe High School and ULM, then known as NLSC, graduated with an education degree, and taught in Mangham. When she met Butch and they became good friends, they developed a life-long adventure and lived a very full life. Fay was always considered a member of the Stewart family, and when Fay’s mother died in 2001, Fay was “formally” adopted by the large Stewart family and presented an “official certificate of adoption” signed by family members and spouses.
Upon the request from her brother, Richard, to manage his NAPA Auto Parts store in Jonesboro, she left her public education path, and she and Butch began their NAPA career. Later as the NAPA store owner, Fay with Butch met many across the counter with a smile, a “how can I help you”, and great customer service. She and Butch were both well loved among the NAPA store owners, and everyone looked forward to mud riding retreats or company meetings with them.
Always active and loving the outdoors and sports, Fay played league softball, golf, water-skied on the river, boated at Caney Lake, rode motorcycles, raced cars, camped, and traveled throughout her life. She and Butch took many wonderful trips to Europe, Canada, and across the USA with Alice and Harry Prophit, their close family devotees. She was a great photographer, capturing their escapades and the beauty of nature, wildlife, and quaint destinations. She ardently supported Jonesboro and area events through the Chamber with her friend, Wilda. Fay always rode motorcycles, graduating from her first motorcycle which she still owned, a Yamaha, to Harleys, then to a Honda Gold Wing, and talked fondly of riding trips and seeing the country on a trike. As an avid member of the Eagle Wings Motorcycle Association in Monroe, she met and rode regularly with dear friends on many adventures, even at 80 years old. Fay loved music, and she and Butch sang in the church choir, enjoyed gospel shows, and attended several of Elvis’s concerts as avid fans.
No matter where she was, Fay won the love and friendship of everyone. As a faithful Christian, Fay was generous and helpful, sometimes anonymously supporting a need and always chipping in a hand to help. She and Butch loved their Sunday school class at the Ebenezer Baptist Church. When Butch began to be affected by Alzheimer’s, Fay lovingly put aside her own life and cared for Butch at home 24/7 before Butch went to her heavenly home. Throughout her life, she loved dogs, and was devoted to their faithful companionship and care, and was especially partial to Pomeranians and Poodles. When her dear friend, Harry, lost his mother, she adopted the sweet, orphaned poodle, Baby Girl, and cherished her many years before Baby Girl crossed that Rainbow Bridge to be with Bootsie, the roadside pooch Fay had rescued, and Dinkey, and Mitzi, and all the ones she had loved.
Fay was preceded in death by her dearest friend, Dorothy “Butch” Stewart, her mother, Mildred, and stepfather, Bill “Papa” Emmons, her twin brother Ray Wainwright, her older brother Richard Wainwright, a host of other relatives, and several “adopted” Stewart brothers and sisters. She is survived by her loved ones within the Stewart family, and many cherished friends and neighbors, and distant relatives in North Carolina and elsewhere.
Fay will be remembered for her generous, soft heart, and her ability to endure and handle life’s challenges with acceptance, as well as her love of life and all things outdoors in God’s great Creation. She is surely “on the road again” and headed down that highway of eternal peace. May she ride on!
A life celebration will be held on Friday, October 11, 2024, with visitation at 9:30 a.m. and service to follow at 11:00 a.m. at Southern-Edmonds Funeral Home Chapel in Jonesboro. In lieu of flowers, please consider giving in memory to local humane shelters or animal rescue shelters, or the wildlife or national park charity of your choice.