Miriam “Mere” Van Scoter died Tuesday, August 14, 2018, at her home in Picayune, MS. She was just shy of her 93rd birthday, August 15. Mere was born in New Orleans in 1925 and moved to Picayune, MS in 1944, where she married Jack Stewart. Mere and Jack traveled the world, working and growing their family. From Picayune to Atlanta, GA, to Houston, TX, Colombia, South America, and Pasadena, CA. They were married for 39 years until Jack’s passing in 1985.

Mere’s devoted children, Cynthia Stewart Dooner and John Stewart have remained close and faithful to her through all her years. In 1991, she married Al Van Scoter, and added seven caring and thoughtful daughters to her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert Higgason and Viola Tureaud Higgason; her husbands, Jack Stewart and Al Van Scoter; her granddaughter, Miriam “Mimi” Dooner; and her brother, Fred Higgason.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Cynthia (John) Dooner; her son, John (Kayne) Stewart; her step daughters, Jean Wright, Jane Ann (John) Gleeson, Vicki (Rob) Cusimano, Nancy West, Kathy Baudoin, Anita (Gary) Westmoland, and Alice Joan (Charlie) Brown; her grandchildren, Jaclyn Dooner (Simon Ramirez), Bradford Stewart (Samantha Sischo), and Holly Stewart; numerous step grandchildren; numerous great grandchildren; her sisters, Corinne Bontemps and Helen (Doug) Block; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mere was a devoted member of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Picayune, MS for 70 years.

Mass of Christian Burial for Mere will be held Friday, August 17, 2018, at 2:00 pm at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

Visitation will be Friday, August 17, 2018 from 12:00 pm until 2:00 pm at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.

Burial will be in New Palestine Cemetery under the direction of McDonald Funeral Home.

Father John Noone will officiate the service.

The family would like to thank her caregivers, Jeanette, Linda, and Trisha, for their loving care of Mere.

Obituary, Register Book, and Driving Directions can be found on the internet page, at www.mcdonaldfh.com

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Mimi’s Magic Fund for rare cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. www.mskcc.convio.net