John P. Stewart Jr.

John P. Stewart, Jr., 75, of Meadville, died on Sunday, April 30, 2017, at St. Vincent Hospital, Erie.

He was born on June 18, 1941, in Hackensack, N.J., a son of John P. and Catherine Whalen Stewart, Sr.

He married Judith "Judy" Piwowar on May 6, 1967, and she survives.

John was a U.S. Army Veteran, serving from 1960 to 1962 in the Korean Demilitarized Zone. He attended Newark College of Engineering, Newark, N.J., and was a graduate of Lorain County Community College, Elyria, Ohio.

He worked at McWilliams Forge in New Jersey and subsequently at New Departure-Hyatt, a division of General Motors, at plants in Harrison, N.J., Bristol, Conn., and Sandusky, Ohio. In 1982, John came to Meadville where he worked at the Meadville Forging Company as a quality control manager until his retirement in 2007.

A member of St. Agatha Roman Catholic Church, John was a member and treasurer of the Crawford County Drug and Alcohol Commission, a former board member and tutor for the Crawford County READ Program and a former member and treasurer of the Seton Catholic School Board. He was an avid reader, volunteer at the Meadville Soup Kitchen, and enjoyed riding his bike on the Ernst Trail, watching sports, particularly football and hockey, and was a season ticket holder to the Erie Otters hockey games.

Survivors, in addition to his loving wife, Judy, of almost 50 years, include four children, Mark Stewart and his wife Rebecca Kane of Minneapolis, Minn., Colleen Wilburn and her husband Daniel of Crownsville, Md., Mary Frances Stewart of Crofton, Md., and Matthew Stewart and Kate Murphy of Washington, D.C.; two grandchildren, Alana and Oscar; a nephew, Richard Stewart, Jr.; and a sister-in-law, Patricia Stewart Richvalsky.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Richard M. Stewart, Sr.

Calling hours will be held Thursday, May 4th from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, 581 Chestnut St., Meadville, with a Prayer Vigil at 6:45 p.m.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, May 5th at 10:00 a.m. at St. Brigid Church, 383 Arch St., Meadville with Fr. Philip Oriole as Celebrant.

Entombment will be in St. Brigid Cemetery.

The family respectfully declines floral gifts, and in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the French Creek Recreational Trails, Inc., P.O. Box 592 or to the Crawford County READ Program, 640 Walnut St., both of Meadville, PA 16335.

The family wishes to express their heartfelt appreciation to Dr. Robert Bazylak, Dr. Rothman, and Dr. Stachelek and Brenda and Jerry Schoonover for all of their care and kindness.

Memories and condolences may be shared at www.waidfuneralhome.net.

Sign the Guestbook at www.GoErie.com/obits