Ledford Stewart

Ledford "Stew" Stewart, 76, of Pace, passed away peacefully on November 8, 2025. He was born on January 5, 1949, in Bright Shade, KY, to Opha and Manford Stewart.

Right after he graduated from Clay County High School, he left to pursue a life of service in the United States Air Force, where he excelled in every assignment. He met the love of his life, Joy, in Ft. Walton Beach in 1969. They were married in 1978 and continued life as a military family, having several duty stations, including Spain, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Louisiana.

Stew and Joy, or "PaPa and GG", settled in Pace to enjoy retirement and family. They were especially proud of their daughter and grandchildren and all of their accomplishments. They also became very close to the Kert-Yasa family: Wayne, Louh, Avain, Shawn, and Kyle.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Opha and Earnest Smith; his father, Manford Stewart; his sister-in-law, Rebecca Stewart; and his brother, Boone Smith.

He is survived by his wife, Joy Stewart; his daughter, Connie Irwin; son-in-law, Malvern Irwin; two grandchildren, Aleisha and Alto; four great-grandchildren; three brothers, Lynn (Bernadine) Stewart, Leo (Jeanie) Stewart, and David Stewart; three sisters, Ann (Jerry) Owens, Carol Napier, and Rachel Sizemore; in addition to a host of other family and friends.