Roger Henry Stuart

A beloved husband, father, grandpa and friend to all, Roger passed from this world peacefully to be with his Lord our God on October 25, 2016. Roger was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts to Robert and Mabel Stuart on January 22, 1925. He served his country faithfully in the U.S. Army Air Corp from 1943 through 1946. After service in WWII, he married Barbara Marie Wich, his loved wife of 68 years. They moved to East Lansing, Michigan where he attended Michigan State University and obtained a B. S. in industrial psychology, class of 1950.

Roger and Barbara owned and operated the Music Center in East Lansing for seven years. His love of music was exemplified in his participation with the M.S.U. State Singers, the Lansing Lyric Opera and the Plymouth Congregational Church Choir, which he sang with for over fifty years.

Roger worked as an agent for Jackson National Life Insurance. He also was a commercial real estate broker and a commercial property tax appeal consultant. Roger founded Property Tax Consultants, a real estate property tax consulting firm which he directed. One of his cases was upheld by the Michigan Supreme Court.

Roger was very active in several local organizations and advisory boards; namely; the City of East Lansing Zoning Board of Appeals for six years and was appointed to the City of East Lansing Officer Compensation Commission in 1999, the Bailey Neighborhood Association Board of Directors for twelve years, the Michigan Eye Bank with which he served as East Lansing Substation chairman, and helped produce an educational television program about eye bank and transplantation services through City of East Lansing television station WELG. He received the Helen Keller Special Service award from the Michigan Eye Bank for his work.

Roger was a dedicated member of the East Lansing Meridian Lions Club. He was passionate about the Gift of Sight and served as President, 1st and 3rd Vice President, 2nd and 3rd year Board Director, white cane drive chairman and zone and region chairman for the Lions Club in Michigan. His dedication and service resulted in receipt of the Melvin Jones Fellow award and the Helen Keller award from Lion`s Club International Foundation.

As a proud Spartan; Roger and his family cheered the green and white at M.S.U. football, basketball and hockey games from the 1950`s through 2016. He was proud of M.S.U. athletic, artistic, academic and scientific accomplishments, especially the Cyclotron Laboratory.

Roger was a member of Plymouth Congregational Church for 64 years. He served in many church positions including a member of the Board of Trustee, with many wonderful ministers over the years. Roger and his wife loved music and sponsored summer concerts on the lawn with Plymouth Church in order to raise funds for the Lansing Food Bank and celebrate the rich musical traditions of the Lansing area.

Roger`s hobbies included skeet and trap shooting, photography, piano, swimming at the University Club, figure skating, where on he became a USFSA gold test figure skating judge, and reading historical novels, books and magazines. Roger was a sighted guide for Michigan Ski for Light, a cross country skiing program for the visually impaired. He loved sports cars, playing with his children and grandchildren, the Broad Museum of Art, Wharton Center, and WKAR`s classical music programs.

Roger is survived by his wife Barbara Stuart, daughter Deborah Ann Stuart, son Geoffrey and daughter in law Shelley Stuart, son James Stuart and Donna Talaga, grandchildren, Michael Stuart, Amanda Stuart, sister in law Betty Mattison, Marie Stuart and brother in law Wilfred Wich. He has four nieces, Ellen Stuart, Kim Goesslin, Lynn Mattison Silvernail, Kristen Wich and two nephews Robert Stuart named for Roger`s predeceased brother Robert James Stuart and Todd Wich.

A Memorial Service to celebrate Roger`s life and church home will be held on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 1:30 pm at Plymouth Congregational Church 2001 East Grand River Avenue in Lansing, Michigan 48912. A visitation will be held on Friday December 2, 2016 from 4:00 to 6:00pm at Plymouth Congregational Church.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Michigan Eye Bank for the restoration of sight, East Lansing Meridian Lions Club, or Plymouth Congregational Church Music Fund. On line condolences may be expressed at [email protected], and [email protected].

The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Homes, East Chapel. On line condolences may be made at www.greastlansing.com