William Stewart

WILLIAM JOEL “BILL” STEWART

January 25, 1930 – January 06, 2018

William Joel "Bill" Stewart, 87, entered into eternal rest on Saturday, January 6, 2018, surrounded by his loving family.

Mr. Stewart is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph Waldo and Mayne Louise Stewart, and brothers-in-laws, Emory Diamond and John Edwards.

He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Esther Frances Leyendecker Stewart, his children: Nancy Barbara Blair (Randall), Dr. William Joel Stewart, Jr. (Sylvia), Theresa Ann Powell (Michael) and Cynthia Louise Rodriguez; and in addition, he was blessed with ten grandsons: William Joel "BJ" Stewart III (Morgan), Daniel Tobias Rodriguez, Alexander Penn Stewart, Roger Andrew Blair, William Michael Powell Jr., Benjamin Earle Rodriguez, Zachry Stewart Powell (Sandra), Austin Gabriel Rodriquez, Dominic Evan Rodriguez and Kyle Alexander Powell. He is also survived by his sister Bobbie Stewart Diamond Edwards, niece, Sandra Raulerson (Bo) and nephew, Roger E. Diamond.

William “Bill” Joel Stewart was born on January 25, 1930 in Bartow, Florida. He attended elementary school in Bartow in a one room school house which is now an historical site. He then went on to Summerlin Institute for high school and graduated as Valedictorian of his class. He was appointed as first alternate to West Point. However, he received a scholarship to the University of Florida and attended several years before he enlisted in the Air Force during The Korean Conflict. After enlisting he was stationed at Bainbridge, Georgia and trained to fly the F-84. He then proceeded to Del Rio for nuclear weapons systems training. In October of 1954 he trained to fly the T-33 and then became a pilot instructor with the Squadron name of Gator while at Laredo Air Force Base. It was here that he met and married the love of his life, Esther ‘Tite’ Leyendecker. They married December 27, 1954 at St. Peter’s Church and eleven months later welcomed their first daughter, Nancy Barbara. One year later they welcomed their first son, William Joel Stewart, Jr –the first baby to be born at the Laredo Air Force Base Hospital. In retrospect this is an interesting fact as Bill, Sr. was the last person to close Laredo Air Force Base.

From Laredo the family moved to his next assignment in Savannah, Georgia where he flew B-47’s in 1958. Bill was part of protecting the United States during the Cold War as his plane carried nuclear weapons and would refuel mid-air and sometimes be gone for months at a time with his various TDY (temporary duty) orders. During this time in Savannah the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred. Bill was ordered to stay on the base during this time with orders to retaliate against Russia if the blockade was broken by the Russians. He served under Strategic Air Command for 5 years in Savannah. While there he received the 8th Air Force B-47 crew Top Rung award in 1960 as a Captain. The other ‘award’ he received in Georgia was the birth of ‘the Georgia peach’, his second daughter, Theresa Ann Stewart.

Next Bill enrolled at Texas A&M University and earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Also while living in Bryan, Texas the Lord blessed Bill and Esther with another baby girl they named Cynthia Louise. The family was now complete with 3 girls and one boy. For a period of time after this he trained in the F-4 Phantom jet at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona before being transferred to Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio. While in Dayton, Bill was involved with the ICBM missile systems projects. After two years in the cold weather the family was overjoyed to move to Eglin Air Force Base in sunny Fort Walton Beach Florida. Bill was Chief of Maintenance and the family enjoyed the ocean and deep sea fishing almost every weekend in the summer. Bill’s next transfer was to Kunsan, Korea for a year where during downtime he was able to hunt pheasant and learned to polish gemstones. The family meanwhile moved back to Laredo, TX and Bill joined them a year later to become Chief of Maintenance at Laredo AFB until it closed in February of 1974. The circle was complete in that the family that started in Laredo ended up back in Laredo where Bill retired from the Air Force and helped to close down Laredo Air Force Base.

Upon his retirement from the Air Force, Bill worked for Leyendecker Paving Company and later opened his own business entitled Fence Masters, Inc. until his real retirement. After retirement Bill and Esther volunteered their time with Bethany House of Laredo, Inc. and Blessed Sacrament Church Mens and Ladies ACTS.

Pallbearers are William Joel "BJ" Stewart III, Daniel Tobias Rodriguez, Alexander Penn Stewart, Roger Andrew Blair, William Michael Powell Jr., Benjamin Earle Rodriguez, Zachry Stewart Powell, Austin Gabriel Rodriquez, Dominic Evan Rodriguez, and Kyle Alexander Powell.

Honorary pallbearers are Arthur J. Leyendecker, Roger E. Diamond, Bo Raulerson, Edward G. Brittingham, Ernest M. "Buddy" Bruni, Carrol Summers, Duane Lewis, Pat Huff, Ray Bassett, Vincent Pickett, Glenn Black, Mary Grinnan Finley, Marissa Trevino, David Trevino, Amber Yeary, Honorable Judge George P. Kazen, and Russell Deutsch.

Visitation will be held Friday, January 12, 2018, from 5 to 9 p.m. at Joe Jackson North Funeral & Cremation Services, 1410 Jacaman Road in Laredo, TX. The Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church- A.C.T.S. brothers and sisters will pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet at 6 p.m., followed by a Vigil for the Deceased and rosary at 7 p.m.

Funeral procession will depart on Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. from the funeral home to Blessed Sacrament Church for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m.

Interment will follow with full military honors at the Catholic Cemetery following the mass.

More information may be found and condolences may be expressed to the family online at http://www.joejacksonfuneralchapels.com.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Bethany House of Laredo, Inc., 817 Hidalgo Street; Laredo, TX 78040 or online at www.bethanyhouseoflaredo.org.

Arrangements are under the care of Joe Jackson North Funeral & Cremation Services; 1410 Jacaman Road, Laredo, TX 78041. (956) 722-8850.