Robert Reed Stewart

Robert Reed Stewart, 101, passed away peacefully at his home in Carmichael, California, on March 17, 2015. He was born to Orville H. Stewart and Elizabeth Breathwaite Stewart on November 29, 1913, in St. Louis, Missouri, and grew up in nearby University City. He studied mechanical engineering at Purdue University and competed on the varsity track and field, swimming, and water polo teams. In 1937 he earned a BSME degree with distinction. From 1937 to 1961, Robert served in the U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force (USAF), attaining the rank of colonel. A command pilot and a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, he accumulated nearly 7000 flying hours during his career. He completed the Army Air Corps pilot training program at Randolph and Kelly Fields, Texas. He then served with the 36th Pursuit Squadron of the 8th Pursuit Group at Langley Field, Virginia. During the 1940s, he was sent twice to Ladd Air Force Base, Alaska, where harsh conditions posed challenges for pilots, support personnel, and airplanes. He was assigned to the Cold Weather Test program, a pioneering unit that tested planes and equipment in sub-freezing weather. Eventually he became the commanding officer of the program. He married Katherine (Kay) Walsh on July 5, 1941, in Fairbanks, Alaska. They had four children. In 1950 Robert was assigned to USAF Headquarters at the Pentagon, where he was involved with logistic planning on a global basis. From 1953-1958, he served consecutively at three air bases: Nellis AFB, Nevada; Randolph AFB, Texas; and Moody AFB, Georgia, where he was base commander and commander of the 3550th Combat Training Wing. After attending the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, he was assigned to London in 1959 as deputy chief of the U. S. Military Assistance Advisory Group to the United Kingdom. After retiring from the USAF in 1961, Robert worked for several aerospace companies, including Martin Marietta, Aerojet-General, and Boeing, and later worked for the Department of Defense at the Rock Island Arsenal. He participated in NASA’s Apollo Program as a member of a Boeing flight crew support team that worked directly with the astronauts. This engineering team completed trial runs on the ground to test manned space flight equipment. Robert enjoyed outdoor activities such as hiking, hunting and fishing, competitive long-range rifle shooting, and ranching. A lifelong sports fan, he strongly supported the Dallas Cowboys—he watched all their games, followed their progress, and knew the stats on the players by memory. As a retiree, he took college art classes and painted for many years, using water colors, oil paints, and other media. He and Kay jogged and hiked with their dogs near the American River. They attended sports and cultural events and enjoyed family trips to national parks. He will be remembered as a loving husband and father. He will also be remembered for his extensive knowledge, abundant skills, and sense of humor. He was preceded in death by his parents, Orville and Elizabeth Stewart; his brother, Orville H. Stewart, Jr.; and his wife of 69 years, Katherine Stewart. He is survived by his children, Katherine (Sam) Winston of Robstown, TX; Elizabeth J. Stewart of Tempe, AZ; Robert R. Stewart of Carmichael, CA; and Barbara J. Stewart of Cardiff, CA; granddaughter Deborah Winston (Stephen) Blume and great grandsons Tyler and Ethan Blume of Corpus Christi, TX; and niece Jane Stewart of Overland Park, KS. A memorial service will be held at Sierra View Funeral Chapel, 6201 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael, at 1:30 p.m. on April 14.

Robert Reed Stewart

November 29, 1913 - March 17, 2015