Obituary for Robert Alexander Stewart
Robert A. Stewart 'Bob' passed away on Nov. 22, 2019, at his home. He was a longtime resident of the Latimer community. He was born in Fayette, Alabama, to the late Sol Stewart, a saw wright, and Victoria 'Tora' McKinney Stewart. He was the youngest of six (mostly grown when he came along). He grew up in hard times with a harsh mother who taught him many things; sewing, cooking, quilting, canning, and farming among them. He hunted and fished to put food on the table even when he was a young child. He worked in the sawmills and even drove the log truck when he was nine years old. His father was mostly gone scouting for timber for the sawmills.
When he was 17 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps at the end of WWII and started his first 'great adventure.' He was very proud of his military service and the career and life he made. Among his travels in the military, he was in Jamaica, Panama, Korea, Tokyo, Morocco, and Naples, Italy, in addition to numerous military bases stateside.
Bob met the love of his life, his wife Peggy McTaggart from Grand Cayman, while in Jamaica. She called him her 'ever-lovin super daddy'. Peggy had nine siblings which Bob embraced as his own. They were married for 63 years until she passed away in 2013. They raised a family of 5 children.
After retiring from the Air Force as a MSGT, he started his next 'great adventure'. Bob did numerous jobs to support his family. He delivered newspapers and donuts, climbed pine trees to get green cones to sell to the forestry service, among other endeavors. He eventually returned to college, receiving an Associates in refrigeration and air conditioning and then opened his own word-of-mouth business, 'Mr. Cool.' He worked on refrigeration and AC units across the coast.
After closing his business, he became very passionate about planting fruit trees and gardening. He supplied family and friends with vegetables, figs, satsumas, muscadines, blueberries, persimmons, pears, kumquats, and lemon-quats. Bob was very mechanically and electronically inclined and could repair almost anything. He loved to collect junk or things people threw out and make them work again. Many in our family started out with washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators that he found and worked his magic on.
On Sundays, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren gathered at his home.
Pawpaw Cookie as the little ones called him, loved to share with them his cookies, Hershey kisses, and his knowledge and love for unusual animals, bugs, and plants, often having a live (or dead) animal on the dining table when they came in, a turtle in a box, a snake, a possum, a coon. We never knew what to expect. There was even goose poop there one day which looks like burnt cheese puffs for anyone who wants to know!
At 90 years of age he was still mowing his own yard, taking care of his fruit trees, and keeping his own house. He fed and took care of the various animals, tame and wild, that showed up on his back porch. He enjoyed going to Sicily's twice a week to see his 'special girls'. He loved playing pinochle with his daughters and daughter-in-law on Wednesday nights and loved to 'beat our butts.' He always said 'life is a great adventure.'
Bob is preceded in death by his wife, Peggy; his daughter, Laura; parents; his brothers, Art, Mitchel, Vernis, and Bill; and his sister, Viola Stewart Digulimio.
He is survived by his children, Lenna Davis (Bill), Doris Sherman, Jeff Stewart (Lindy), and Shawn Williams (Roger) all of Ocean Springs; his grandchildren, Jeannie Caillouet (Jody), Mike Davis (Barbra), Laura Michelle Davis, Renae Codella (Armondo), Todd Sherman (Emily), Tim Sherman (Kristine), Adam Sherman (Amanda), Robbie Stewart (Brandy), Jeffrey Stewart (Crystal), Zachary Stewart, Felicia Stewart (Alison); Emily McMackin (Jim), Katie Davis (Hal); great grandchildren, Tre', Kai, and Angie Caillouet, Johnny Kurtz, Gabe Davis (Addie), Richard Figueroa, AJ, Mattie and Will Codella, Lucas and Liam Sherman, Alex and Bryce Sherman, Jarrett and Max Sherman and Katey Moran, Aerwyn, Aiden, and Aurora Stewart, Gavin, Elizabeth, and Alexander Stewart, Alice McMackin and Maisy Davis; and great-great grandchildren, Avery and Wyatt Davis.
Bob didn't express his love in so many words but expressed his love by his actions. He leaves a big hole in our family and will be missed by many.
Visitation will be held for family and close friends on Friday November 29, 2019 at Southern MS Funeral Services from 9:30 am - 11:00 am. Service to begin at 11:00 am with interment to immediately follow at D'Iberville Memorial Park.
When he was 17 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps at the end of WWII and started his first 'great adventure.' He was very proud of his military service and the career and life he made. Among his travels in the military, he was in Jamaica, Panama, Korea, Tokyo, Morocco, and Naples, Italy, in addition to numerous military bases stateside.
Bob met the love of his life, his wife Peggy McTaggart from Grand Cayman, while in Jamaica. She called him her 'ever-lovin super daddy'. Peggy had nine siblings which Bob embraced as his own. They were married for 63 years until she passed away in 2013. They raised a family of 5 children.
After retiring from the Air Force as a MSGT, he started his next 'great adventure'. Bob did numerous jobs to support his family. He delivered newspapers and donuts, climbed pine trees to get green cones to sell to the forestry service, among other endeavors. He eventually returned to college, receiving an Associates in refrigeration and air conditioning and then opened his own word-of-mouth business, 'Mr. Cool.' He worked on refrigeration and AC units across the coast.
After closing his business, he became very passionate about planting fruit trees and gardening. He supplied family and friends with vegetables, figs, satsumas, muscadines, blueberries, persimmons, pears, kumquats, and lemon-quats. Bob was very mechanically and electronically inclined and could repair almost anything. He loved to collect junk or things people threw out and make them work again. Many in our family started out with washing machines, dryers, and refrigerators that he found and worked his magic on.
On Sundays, his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren gathered at his home.
Pawpaw Cookie as the little ones called him, loved to share with them his cookies, Hershey kisses, and his knowledge and love for unusual animals, bugs, and plants, often having a live (or dead) animal on the dining table when they came in, a turtle in a box, a snake, a possum, a coon. We never knew what to expect. There was even goose poop there one day which looks like burnt cheese puffs for anyone who wants to know!
At 90 years of age he was still mowing his own yard, taking care of his fruit trees, and keeping his own house. He fed and took care of the various animals, tame and wild, that showed up on his back porch. He enjoyed going to Sicily's twice a week to see his 'special girls'. He loved playing pinochle with his daughters and daughter-in-law on Wednesday nights and loved to 'beat our butts.' He always said 'life is a great adventure.'
Bob is preceded in death by his wife, Peggy; his daughter, Laura; parents; his brothers, Art, Mitchel, Vernis, and Bill; and his sister, Viola Stewart Digulimio.
He is survived by his children, Lenna Davis (Bill), Doris Sherman, Jeff Stewart (Lindy), and Shawn Williams (Roger) all of Ocean Springs; his grandchildren, Jeannie Caillouet (Jody), Mike Davis (Barbra), Laura Michelle Davis, Renae Codella (Armondo), Todd Sherman (Emily), Tim Sherman (Kristine), Adam Sherman (Amanda), Robbie Stewart (Brandy), Jeffrey Stewart (Crystal), Zachary Stewart, Felicia Stewart (Alison); Emily McMackin (Jim), Katie Davis (Hal); great grandchildren, Tre', Kai, and Angie Caillouet, Johnny Kurtz, Gabe Davis (Addie), Richard Figueroa, AJ, Mattie and Will Codella, Lucas and Liam Sherman, Alex and Bryce Sherman, Jarrett and Max Sherman and Katey Moran, Aerwyn, Aiden, and Aurora Stewart, Gavin, Elizabeth, and Alexander Stewart, Alice McMackin and Maisy Davis; and great-great grandchildren, Avery and Wyatt Davis.
Bob didn't express his love in so many words but expressed his love by his actions. He leaves a big hole in our family and will be missed by many.
Visitation will be held for family and close friends on Friday November 29, 2019 at Southern MS Funeral Services from 9:30 am - 11:00 am. Service to begin at 11:00 am with interment to immediately follow at D'Iberville Memorial Park.