Albert Rhett Stuart

Rhett had such an interesting history. He had hundreds of stories. Some of them were just little snapshots of his life that I loved to hear over and over again. I think my favorite was when he was hired to play Davy Crockett to promote the movie that had just come out. Rhett was costumed in the full suit of fringed buckskin and coonskin cap and sent to some little strip mall. I believe this was when he lived in NYC and the mall was somewhere in New Jersey. Rhett was a big man, 6'5", and a...

You may suppose that after 91 years, Elsie (West) Meehan Duval is already dead.While I no longer live at 5308 Huntington,I've remained in Newport News forever, and am now at 19 Hilton Terrace, 23601 if you care to respond. This house was built by Mary Halsey after her husband's retirement,and I'm the 2nd owner. My memories of the Stuart's at 6300 was one Christmas eve when 4 boys opened the door dressed in matching "Dr. Denim" sleepwear,with the merriest faces ever seen since! Seems too...

For the family of Rhett Stuart: We are Anne and Matt Gardner who currently live at 6300 Huntington Avenue, in Newport News. Since purchasing the "Stuart House" in the 80's the home was on one of the tours of historical homes in the North End. My daughter who lives in Austin, TX, worked at Texas French Bread while establishing in-state residency prior to enrolling for her Master's at University of Texas. One Mrs Stuart was affiliated with the Texas French Bread franchise and had moved...

Poetry was, for Rhett, his prayer, his worship, his devotion, and he became what he worshipped.
My dedication to Rhett, published in "Translations from Silence:"

Thou Art
For Rhett

Thou art I am,
a cathedral you said,
your voice a chorus in a vast song
bright as the flash of sunlight
on an egret as he circles the sky.
Finding that light between my eyes
I gaze in the mirror of the paper
to see your face in the reflection.

Rhett was one of the first people that I met when I came to San Francisco. He was probably the most enthusiastic person about music and art that I’ve ever met. I would play him a guitar piece that I’d been working on and he would be utterly engrossed and silent until I finished. He and I went to the opera once and I will always remember the joy in his face, I thought to myself; I haven’t felt that way since I was a child. That was Rhett: a man who somehow managed to keep that immense...

Rhett was a gentle presence in the community. I consider myself honored to have been able to hear many of his stories and read his poems. His love of animals and nature was inspiring to observe.

Rhett and I shared memories and a love for the James River and a committment to TREC. I will sorely miss him. Harriett Kirk