Naomi Ruth Stewart

1934 - 2008

Naomi Ruth Gates Stewart, RN, 74, of Radford, Va., departed for her home in Heaven on Wednesday, December 3, 2008, after a brief bout with cancer. Born July 21, 1934, in Plasterco, Va., she died at home with family by her side. Ruth was preceded in death by her father, William Neal Gates, of Pulaski. She is survived by her mother, Vandell Elizabeth Smith Gates Minton, of Radford. Ruth is also survived by her husband of 53 years, Charles Wade Stewart Jr.; a son, Richard Alan Stewart, MD, and his wife, Ginger, of Charlottesville; a son, Charles Wade Stewart III, DDS, and his wife, Kathleen, of Hampton; a daughter, Julia Ann Stewart, of Ashburn; a son, William Neal Stewart, and his wife, Nanette, of Radford; six grandsons and four granddaughters, Andrew, Katey, and Christopher Stewart, of Charlottesville, Jake and Skyla Stewart, of Hampton, Danny and Carly Daly, of Ashburn, and Malcolm, Ronan, and Anneliese Stewart, of Radford. Also surviving is her brother, Harry Lee Gates, and his wife, Jean, of Pulaski; her sister, Maude Gates Brodd, of Dawsonville, Ga.; and nine nieces and nephews.
Ruth was dearly loved by her husband, children and grandchildren, her bridge buddies, nursing school classmates, fellow church members and a multitude of other friends. She was an active member of Circle #1 of the First Presbyterian Church of Pulaski, a member of the Round Dozen Club of Pulaski, a hard-working volunteer of the Community Yard Sale, a member of two bridge clubs, a member of the Good Neighbor Club, a member of the Pulaski Christian Women's Club and a founding member of the NRV Women's Connection (Christian Women's Club). She loved to be with people, as shown by her many various and charitable works. A Golden Hokie and holder of season tickets along with her husband Charles, Ruth was a passionate fan of Virginia Tech football and TechSideline.com, managed by her son, William.
Ruth excelled at her career chosen at age four as a Registered Nurse. A graduate of the Pulaski School of Nursing in 1954, she was the first head nurse of the first recovery room at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. A member of the first Coronary Monitoring Unit established at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Ruth was the accompanying transportation nurse when one of Viginia's first heart transplant patients, Joseph Klett, was moved from Charlottesville to the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. Charlottesville citizens will remember her as the caring, efficient office nurse of Dr. William Pollard, Dr. James Twyman, Dr. James Knight, and her son Dr. Richard Stewart. She will also be remembered as a teacher of geriatric care at Piedmont Community College, and a hard worker of the Charlottesville Daily Bread.
The family will receive visitors on Friday, December 5, 2008, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Stevens Funeral Home, 815 Randolph Avenue, Pulaski. Funeral services will be conducted 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 6, 2008, at the First Presbyterian Church of Pulaski, 408 N. Jefferson Avenue. The Rev. Jeff Kackley and the Rev. David Dickerson will officiate. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Cancer Society or Pulaski's First Presbyterian Church Endowment Fund.
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