Lois Walstead

Lois Walstead In the peaceful presence of her loving family, Lois Walstead was joyfully reunited with her son, Jim, on Friday, September 21, 2007, following a brief but insistent battle with cancer. She was born Lois Ann Lenskold to Harry and Dorothea (Knipshield) Lenskold on October 2, 1937, in Montclair, NJ. In 1954, she met and married the love of her life, William J. (Bill) Walstead, Jr., and they were blessed with four children. Lois graduated from Mountainside School of Nursing in Montclair, and enjoyed a gratifying career as a registered nurse working in the operating room, psychiatric and emergency departments of several hospitals prior to the arrival of her first child. Following the death of their son, Jim in 1996, Lois and Bill became active in Compassionate Friends, with Lois later serving as leader of the local Baytown chapter. It was through this organization that she reached out and accompanied many families in the wake of their own loss. Always a kind and generous woman, she touched scores of lives as a volunteer at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital. She was an active member of the Lakewood community and was involved with the swim team for many years. She was also a sustaining member of the Baytown Junior Forum, having enjoyed many years with her friends in the Red Stocking Revue. Her devotion to the Lord transcended religious affiliations. Her church families include countless dear friends from St. Paul's United Methodist Church, St. Mark's United Methodist Church, Alliance Bible Church, and Second Baptist Church, among others. Her loving family includes her husband of 49 years, Bill, and their three daughters, Faye Blackshear and her husband, Murray, of Brentwood, TN, Jennifer Crowe and husband, Jackie, of Ramona, CA, and Laura Muscat and husband, Tony, of Seabrook, TX. Her twelve grandchildren were the light of her life and include Blake, Brittney, Beau, Bentley, and Bayley Ann Blackshear; Travis, Derrick, Weston, and Marshall Crowe; and Connor, Carson, and Chandler Muscat. She also leaves one brother, Robert Lenskold and his wife, Betsey, of VT, loving nieces and nephews, and constant four-legged canine companion and bedside "nurse, Marley. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, at Crespo & Jirrels. A celebration of Lois's life will be shared at 11 a.m., Wednesday, September 26, 2007, Second Baptist Church, 500 East James St.-Baytown, with Mark Stafford, officiating. She will be laid to rest at White Cemetery, next to her beloved son. Honoring the family as pallbearers will be Brian Connealy, Ted Johnson, Steven Fenton, Dean House, Blake Blackshear, Beau Blackshear, Travis Crowe, Derrick Crowe and Connor Muscat. Honorary pallbearers will be Bentley Blackshear, Weston Crowe, Marshall Crowe, Carson Muscat and Chandler Muscat. For those desiring, remembrances in Lois's memory may be made to the Baytown Chapter of The Compassionate Friends at www.compassionatefriends.org, or CureSearch for childhood cancer research at www.curesearch.org., or the Lois Walstead Nursing Scholarship to be established at Lee College. The Walstead family wishes to thank the many treasured friends for their love, prayers and support offered throughout Lois's amazing life, especially at the end of her journey.