Charles Stewart Jr.

Charles H. Stewart Jr. PORTSMOUTH - Charles H. "Charlie" Stewart Jr., 95, passed away Dec. 5, 2008, at Maryview Bon Secours Hospital with family at his side. Mr. Stewart was born Feb. 27, 1913, and was the fourth of five children born to the late Charles H. Stewart Sr. and Willetta McCann Stewart of Petersburg, Va. The family moved to Portsmouth in 1926 where Charlie and his family joined Park View Methodist Church. He was a 1933 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School. He worked for the U.S. Post Office until he was drafted in 1943. He served in World War II with General George Patton's Third Army as a code clerk. He and his company landed on Normandy Beach approximately 10 days after D-Day. After the war, Charlie returned to work for the post office where he met his wife, Frances. They married in 1948. Shortly afterward he went into business as a service station owner. He served as president of the Virginia Gasoline Retailers Association in the late 1950s. Charlie and Frances had one daughter, Ann Marie. The family moved their membership to Monumental United Methodist Church in the early 1960s where Charlie and Frances were members of the Walter Gum Sunday school class and where Charlie served on the Board of Ushers for more than 35 years. He always enjoyed listening to the good music at Monumental. Charlie loved anything that involved working with automobiles. He retired from the service station business in 1968 and then worked as a salesman for Action Olds/Cadillac until the early 1980s. He drove professionally for Commercial Courier Service until he retired again the late 1990s. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Frances; his daughter, Ann Marie; and one cousin, Evelyn Stewart Owens of Charlotte, N.C. He is also survived by four sisters-in-law, Louise Parker of Franklin, Va., Nell Moses of Raleigh, N.C., Rose Breedlove and husband Lewis of Virginia Beach, Margaret Smith of Boykins, Va.; and a number of nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother, Herbert G. Stewart of Portsmouth and Alice Stewart Wilson of Dunedin, Fla. A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in Monumental United Methodist Church by Pastors Robert Friend, Franklin Gillis and Dabney Walters, immediately followed by interment in Olive Branch Cemetery. The family will receive visitors at Foster Funeral Home, 1926 High St., Monday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Endowment Fund of Monumental United Methodist Church, 450 Dinwiddie St., Portsmouth, VA 23704. Charlie has been a wonderful, caring Christian husband and father who loved life and cherished his family and friends. Those who knew him will always love and truly miss him.