Kim Stephen Stewart

Kim Stephen Stewart passed away on July 19, 2022, at the age of 66, after a short but courageous battle with liver cancer. He died surrounded by his immediate family, having spent his final weeks with a full house. In those last days, he got to hear the (sometimes thunderous) patter of his grandchildren’s feet upstairs, make homemade ice cream in the backyard, go to an Astros game with his wife and kids (with a Pena walk-off home run!), and see the new Top Gun film in theaters, among many other memories his family will cherish forever. He was cracking dad jokes to the end.

He is survived by his wife of forty years, Alice Dartez Stewart; brother, Boyd L. Stewart II; children, Samantha Scheiner (husband Jon), Christopher (wife Amy), and Kevin (wife Gabriella); and five granddaughters (Evelyn, Eleanor, Emerson, Eloise, and Daisy). He is preceded in death by his parents, Boyd and Imogene Stewart.

Kim was born on October 30, 1955 in Lufkin, Texas. But you might never have guessed he was from a small East-Texas town judging by his accent, which lacked any hint of a drawl. Perhaps that is because when he graduated from the University of Texas in 1979, having never left the country prior to that, he became a world traveler for the next forty years. His career as a petroleum engineer (for Marathon, Transocean, and most recently ConocoPhillips) took him all over the globe.

He met his wife Alice while working his first job in Lafayette, Louisiana. She had never left the country before either, but after they were married on January 29, 1983, they hit the ground running. They spent the next year living in Aberdeen, Scotland and traveling through England, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands. Over the next few years, as they began to raise their three children, they lived in Brazil, Australia, and Tunisia, before eventually settling down in the States.

By the time he retired in 2015, Kim had also lived for stints in places as far flung as Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Ireland, Nigeria, and Venezuela, to name a few. His affinity for travel also meant that his family was blessed with countless memorable family vacations around the world over the years. Somehow though, despite all that flying, Kim never shook the need to leave the house four hours before departure!

While traveling the world, Kim never lost his Texas roots. Houston was a common thread throughout his career, and where he spent the majority of his years, especially after the kids were born. He was a devoted Astros fan, and an even bigger fan of all Longhorn sports. He indoctrinated his children early and was thrilled that all three decided to attend UT like him. And while other graduates dismissed the University-wide Commencement ceremony in front of the UT Tower as “lame,” Kim’s kids knew that their dad would want pictures of the fireworks every time. Had Kevin’s ceremony not been rained out at the last minute, that would have made Kim’s fifth such ceremony in his lifetime. (They still took pictures in ponchos in front of the orange-lit Tower.)

Kim even followed UT’s golf team. He bought celebratory t-shirts from the hospital when UT won the 2022 National Championship last month, and he always rooted for Jordan Spieth on the PGA Tour. On the course himself, Kim was known as “Kimbo Slice” for his impressive ability to manipulate a wicked slice into a solid golf game. He was a delightful golf companion to his sons and golf buddies (and even occasionally his wife). He joined the Cinco Ranch Men’s Golf Association in retirement, and fulfilled a lifelong dream when he got to play Pebble Beach in 2018.

Rivaling his love for sports was Kim’s love for music. He had a beautiful baritone voice, and would often begin family road trips by blaring “The Great Adventure” by Steven Curtis Chapman, or crooning along to “All the Gold in California” by the Gatlin Brothers. He would get misty eyed any time the music swelled in a movie, TV show, or play; or especially at his kids’ weddings. His encouragement led Chris to singing, Kevin to playing in the band, and instilled in all his kids—but especially Samantha—a love for Broadway musicals.

His love for music was also bound up with his love for the Lord and enduring faith in Christ. He learned to sing while joining the four-part harmonies and leading songs at Timberland Drive Church of Christ in Lufkin, and from the time he began attending Catholic Mass with Alice he could be heard singly loudly in the pew every Sunday, blessing whoever was lucky enough to have the pew in front of him. Music also helped him maintain hope for the future even as his condition worsened. His favorite Broadway show was Les Miserables, and in those last days at home he asked to watch it multiple times. He specifically requested to watch the Finale, where the chorus sings:

Do you hear the people sing, lost in the valley of the night?

It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light.

For the wretched of the earth, there is a flame that never dies.

Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.

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A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00AM on Friday, July 29, 2022 in Epiphany of the Lord Catholic Church. Reading from scripture will be Michael Dartez and Julie Dronet.

A reception will be held at the church following the funeral mass.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center or your favorite charity.

Katy Funeral Home, 23350 Kingsland Blvd, Katy, TX 77494 is in charge of funeral arrangements.