Keith Oliver Stewart

Keith entered this life on April 11, 1946 in Crawfordsville, Indiana

and entered eternal life on December 10, 2020 in Victorville, California

Private Family services: December 28, 2020 Military Funeral at Riverside National Cemetery, Riverside California

Keith’s Family

Son of : Charlene and Harry Stewart

Brother of : Charles (Sonny) Stewart and Michael Stewart

Preceded to Glory by: Judith Bernice Stewart, wife of 24 years

Survived By :

Daughter : Debra (& Dennis)

Granddaughters: Jennifer (& Josh) Julie-Ann (& Dennis) Great-Granddaughter : Robyn

Daughter : Karen (& Robert)

Granddaughter : Amanda (& Bee)

Great-Grandson : Aiden

Grandson : Terrance

Wife : Sylvia Ann Stewart, married almost 18 years

Son : Dale

Granddaughters : Ashley (& Edgar) Samantha

Grandson : Justin

Son : Jeremy (& Nora)

Grandson : Xavier

Grandson : Michal (& Alicia)

Grandson : Cody (& Bri)

Granddaughter: Tiffany

Nephew: Todd

Reminiscing

In 1962 Keith and his Mother moved from Indian to California, where his brother Mike lived. His older brother Sonny was in the service. Keith, missed and loved his brothers very much.

Keith graduated from Eisenhower High School in Rialto 1964. He worked multiple jobs while in high school, saving his money till he could purchased a new yellow, convertible GTO. He ripped around the towns replacing many tires and several clutches in his travels.

The war started and the Army drafted him in December 8, 1965. Keith was deployed to Viet Nam and was stationed there between 1966 and 1967. Keith was wounded when a bomb blew up the jeep he was riding in, the other two soldiers died.

Keith had the honor to escort his school friend Robert S. Mummert body home to Rialto for burial July 1967. While in the area, escorting Bobby he was not allowed to tell his family he was home. At the funeral I, Sylvia with my husband, saw a solider smoking some distance away from the burial site, it was Keith, so close but so far away. Keith returned to Viet Nam for the remainder of his tour. Keith suffered PTSD from his experience in the service and how the country viewed and hated the Viet Nam Vets as they returned home.

When he returned to the states he attended Valley College and received a degree. Keith was a hard worker and began working for the Country Of San Bernardino. He enjoyed his work, was well respected, with many friends wherever he went. He held various positions as the County down-sized and changed. He retired in 2007.

Keith and his Mom moved. Living across the street was a boy named Smiley, who became his life long good buddy for over 55 years. When the two of them were together look out. A book could be written about the crazy, funny, sometimes stupidly dangerous things they did. Keith had a great relationship with Smiley’s family.

Keith often spoke of his Grandfathers in Indiana and the experiences he had as a kid. He learning to shoot, swim and fish, raising and selling rabbits for money, shooting squirrels to eat. Keith worked on their farm and rode the tractor to school in the winter, lots of snow.

Throughout his life Keith was always involved in sports. He competed in all sports, winning competitions in trap shooting, archery, horse shoes, pool and bowling. He went hunting for turkeys, doves, deer. He also coached a ladies softball team and his wife Judy was a great pitcher on his team.

Keith hated chicken, turkey and pork. He loved steak and baked potatoes, Hamburgers with French fries, ribs, lots of meat did he eat, sometimes veggies.

Keith and Judy moved to the High Desert in 1987 to built a house. He loved to drive his tractor around his 2 ½ acre property each year. Dragging down the weeds and making a dust storm. His big garage was his kingdom, where he restored a 1939 Olds. He loved his tools.

Keith and Judy with their friends, belonged to a square dancing club doing special performances up and down the state. They were always having fun traveling to different areas, camping, playing dominoes and cards all the way.

As an adult, but still a big kid, Keith and Judy on theirs weekends and holidays loved to go to the Sacramento River and fish in their boat. Keith never liked to eat the fish, except for Sturgeon and Stripper.

Keith was skilled in making wood objects. He sawed individual wood pieces, then glued the shapes together to made a complete animal, Judy painted the animals. Very tedious and time consuming craft for both of them. Judy designed and made an assortments of Indian items which they sold at Craft Fairs, in campgrounds in many states.

I, Sylvia, first saw Keith at Eisenhower High School 58 years ago. He was my future husbands friend who lived around the corner. Through the years the two boys had many adventures. I got married and we all stayed friends. We played board games and went to amusement parks, had BBQ‘s and yearly celebrations. At New Years we always went to The Palace of the Dragon, sitting on the floor eating our food.

Keith was very good with my sons. We went to Marine Land for a fifth birthday and he came shooting, fishing with us. As the years went by each of us went into different directions. Keith married and moved to the desert. I visited them once in the desert and they came to my home in Rialto several times.

One day Keith called and told me Judy died, I was living in Barstow at the time. I went to the Memorial and weeks later we talked about our happenings in the years past. We talk and talked on the phone, sometimes in person. My dog tried to bite him when he drove up to see me. He trimmed my tree and months later we went to the drive-in and saw a Scooby-Doo Movie.

We married, just the two of us, at my Baptist Church in Rialto. Three ladies cleaning the church were our witnesses. The Minister forget to include the ring part of the ceremony, so he started over with a totally different ceremony. I always thought we were double married. The Minster sang “Bind Us Together Lord, Bind Us Together, Keith and I joined in singing with the Minister.

I moved to Keith’s home in the Desert and we started a new chapter in our lives.

Keith and I were baptized at the High Desert Baptist Church in Phelan, California. Keith

enjoyed the fellowship in the Men’s Group at the church on Thursdays.

Throughout the years with family and friends, he shared his experiences and wisdom. He showed his girls how to change tires and oil in a car before they could drive. Fixing leaky water pipes in the back of his home with Keith was a learning experience for my son. Keith came to the rescue when cars needed fixing and even suggested buying a locking gas cap. He towed endless car, trucks, put on snow chains and came to the rescue when keys were locked in a truck.

Keith and I had several of my relatives live with us for health reasons. My sister who had multiple heart surgeries and her son Todd. Then later my Mom lived with us for five years after she could not take care of herself at her Senior Living apartment. At various times my sons came to stay. Keith enjoyed opening his home to family members.

Keith’s brother Sonny and his wife Marty visited us and stayed several days, Keith was so happy to see and talk with his brother in person.

In the later years Keith enjoyed the time spent with his families, visiting them at work, talking on the phone, getting the latest updates on what they were doing. How proud he was to learn of their achievements and all the great things they accomplished.

He cried at their struggles, laughed and cheered as he watched them growing into their own person, making their decisions and choices in life. He knew there would be challenges to overcome, lessons to learn when they fell down, but each of them got right back up again.

Keith was not a saint, he never claimed to be. He was human just like you and me. His bad choices, wrong roads are all in the past. Jesus has forgiven him, so should we. We have.

Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa, friend, Keith is greatly missed by his wife, family and friends. He was gently and peacefully taken when God called his name. He would not want any of us to grieve, or reproach ourselves for time lost or things not said. If Keith could have spoken to anyone of us, his family, before his death, I believe he would have said:

In life I loved you dearly. In death I love you still. In my heart you hold a place no one could ever fill. Our family chain is broken and nothing seems the same, but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.