Richard L. Stewart's Obituary
Richard Lee Stewart ""Stewy"" was the son of Rena (Sebben) Stewart and George Franklin Stewart, born March 27, 1952 in Centerville Iowa. Richard lost his battle to respiratory failure on July 14, 2015. He attended school in Cincinnati, Iowa and graduated from Centerville High School in 1970. Richard worked many jobs while attending school including for his father's farm, putting hay up for many of his neighbors and working at the Box Factory. After graduation from Iowa State University in 1974, Richard worked for FMC Speeder in Cedar Rapids, and John Deere Waterloo Works, until his marriage to his love of his life Margie Wells, in June of 1978. After their unity of marriage, he and Margie made their home in Cincinnati, Iowa, and he worked for Heatilator Fireplace, both in Centerville and Mount Pleasant. He would later work at the United States Postal Service as industrial engineer to postmaster, until his retirement in 2004. After several years of retirement, and enjoying his grandchildren, kids and wife, he went to work at the best job of his lifetime, with his Z Meat family in Centerville, as a part-time meat cutter. He looked forward to going into work every day, alongside his close friends which he considered family, Jack, Erma, Stan, Debbie, Steve and Jackie Zugg. Because of them and Bill Eakins, he gained his faith and love for God.
Richard and Margie was blessed with three wonderful children Eric Lee who was taken way too soon at the young age of 15 months, their son Curtis ""Ryan"" and his wife Becca Stewart, with grandchildren Ty and CJ, and his baby girl Kristin Lynn and her husband Rodney Dell with grandchildren Austin, Reagan, Keegan, Makenna, Creighton and Blakely, and the three grand-dogs Duce, Cupcake, and Kinze.
Richard was a simple man who loved his family very much, but he always found time for his friends, working in the garage till all hours of the night, or just having a friendly conversation. He enjoyed his grandchildren, whether it was watching SpongeBob, or going to their activities. He spent many hours telling his favorite stories to his grandchildren, which always left them smiling and wanting to hear more. He loved to fish with Ty, and road trip with Ty and CJ checking out good fishing and hunting areas. He spent many hours watching sports with Ty and Austin. Richard valued all of his past and present friends, and now he has joined many of his lost friends in Heaven, Fred Tibbits, Sam Dalponte, Billy Parham, Doug Conger, Ben Cowan, Bobby Norris and Gary Stottlemyre, Bud Conn, Bobby Talbot and Brandon Tibbits, along with his son Eric, parents George and Rena Stewart, in-laws Lyle Howard and Glenna ""Jean"" Wells, his brother-in-laws Gary Shumaker, Jack Wells, and Charlie Demry, sister-in-law Jean Shumaker-Seims and his grandparents.
Richard is survived by his loving wife Margie, children Curtis ""Ryan"" (Becca) Stewart, Kristin (Rodney) Dell, grandchildren Ty Stewart, CJ Sheets, Austin Dell, Reagan Dell, Keegan Dell, Makenna Dell, Creighton Dell, Blakely Dell, his Z Meat family Jack, Erma, Stan, Debbie, Steve Zugg and Bill Eakins, along with his sisters Nancy (Charles) Chaplin and her family from Nevada, Iowa, and Linda Demry and her family from Centerville, Iowa. Special friends, John and Norene Jarvis, who was there to help through life's trying times, along with his cousins Nola Stout and Sally Ansley; his Oklahoma family in which he loved spending Thanksgiving with, Jack and Jan Stewart and family, Ron and Jan Stewart and family, Christi and Bill Easley and family, and Karen Thomason and her family, along with his Iowa family Thomas and Mary Stewart and family of Ottumwa, Iowa. He is survived by many cousins, friends, and other relatives that he leaves his legacy with.
Funeral services will be held at 2 PM, Saturday, July 18, 2015 at Lange Funeral Home and Crematory in Centerville with Rev. Bill Eakins officiating. A visitation will take place at the funeral home on Friday, from 9 am-8 pm, with the family greeting friends from 5-8 pm. Richard will be laid to rest in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Cincinnati, Iowa. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions have been established to the Grandchildren's Educational Fund and may be mailed to Lange Funeral Home and Crematory, 1900 S. 18th St., Centerville, Iowa, 52544. Condolences may be shared online at www.langefh.com.
Visitation
July 17, 2015 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Lange Funeral Home 1900 S. 18th St. Centerville, IA (641) 856-2000
Funeral Service
July 18, 2015 2:00 PM
Lange Funeral Home 1900 S. 18th St. Centerville, IA (641) 856-2000
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