Bill Stewart was called home to the Lord, quietly and peacefully on July 28, 2021. He was living at Brookdale Nursing Home in Shawnee, Kansas at the time.
Billy Don was born August 16, 1928 in Dunlap, Kansas to Loren Lewelling and Abby Irene (McCabe) Stewart. His bachelor uncle was asked to file the registration of birth. On the way to the court house, he added his first name, Edgar, to the Billy Don, unbeknownst to anyone in the family. When Bill turned 17 and entered the Navy, he discovered the “error.” He had never loved his name and took the opportunity to change it legally to Bill Donald. Also, at the age of 15, he applied for a driver’s license and altered his year of birth making him a year older and able to drive legally. To this day, his drivers license has his year of birth incorrect.
He attended school in Council Grove and Junction City, Kansas. After graduation, an older high school friend persuaded him to join the Navy. It was a fine choice as he was stationed at Pearl Harbor from 1946-1948 and performed in the Navy Band.
His love of music began at a young age, playing clarinet and saxophone in Central Kansas barn dances in his father’s band, The Pop Stewart Band. He continued his musical career throughout Kansas with the Earl Van Cleeve Orchestra. Bill attended Schillinger House School of Music (now Berklee School of Music) in Boston, Massachusetts where one of his classmates was Quincy Jones. An electronics education in Omaha, Nebraska led to a career supervising the Fort Riley Army base telephone system over 30 years.
Bill married Dorothy Cleo Blake on February 12, 1954 and was married 61 years until her passing in 2015. He was blessed with an immediate family; Mark and Ann Myers. The family continued to grow adding Jon Lewelling the next year.
Always a kind-hearted gentleman, he was also a Boy Scout leader, youth baseball coach in Chapman, Kansas and eventually a dancer. After retiring from Fort Riley, Bill and Dorothy took up square dancing and round dancing. They traveled throughout the country promoting the dances – attending conventions and camps. In 1987, they moved to Surprise, Arizona and taught round dancing at several resorts for 19 years. Bill was a well-known Round Dance Cuer and made many friends while in Arizona.
He is survived by children Mark Myers of Hartford, Kansas and Jon Stewart (Christi) of Lake Quivira, Kansas. He had 8 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Ann Gilbert, daughter-in-laws Sue Myers and Connie Myers, brothers Rolland and Mack, sisters Lorene Bittenbender, Evelyn LeMere, Juanita Couch, Paula Crumley, Zelma Christian and Betty Dillon.
Bill will be buried with Dorothy at Beman Cemetery in Alta Vista, Kansas.
Final Resting Place
Bemen Cemetery
528-532 South 500 Rd
Alta Vista, KS 66834
Billy Don was born August 16, 1928 in Dunlap, Kansas to Loren Lewelling and Abby Irene (McCabe) Stewart. His bachelor uncle was asked to file the registration of birth. On the way to the court house, he added his first name, Edgar, to the Billy Don, unbeknownst to anyone in the family. When Bill turned 17 and entered the Navy, he discovered the “error.” He had never loved his name and took the opportunity to change it legally to Bill Donald. Also, at the age of 15, he applied for a driver’s license and altered his year of birth making him a year older and able to drive legally. To this day, his drivers license has his year of birth incorrect.
He attended school in Council Grove and Junction City, Kansas. After graduation, an older high school friend persuaded him to join the Navy. It was a fine choice as he was stationed at Pearl Harbor from 1946-1948 and performed in the Navy Band.
His love of music began at a young age, playing clarinet and saxophone in Central Kansas barn dances in his father’s band, The Pop Stewart Band. He continued his musical career throughout Kansas with the Earl Van Cleeve Orchestra. Bill attended Schillinger House School of Music (now Berklee School of Music) in Boston, Massachusetts where one of his classmates was Quincy Jones. An electronics education in Omaha, Nebraska led to a career supervising the Fort Riley Army base telephone system over 30 years.
Bill married Dorothy Cleo Blake on February 12, 1954 and was married 61 years until her passing in 2015. He was blessed with an immediate family; Mark and Ann Myers. The family continued to grow adding Jon Lewelling the next year.
Always a kind-hearted gentleman, he was also a Boy Scout leader, youth baseball coach in Chapman, Kansas and eventually a dancer. After retiring from Fort Riley, Bill and Dorothy took up square dancing and round dancing. They traveled throughout the country promoting the dances – attending conventions and camps. In 1987, they moved to Surprise, Arizona and taught round dancing at several resorts for 19 years. Bill was a well-known Round Dance Cuer and made many friends while in Arizona.
He is survived by children Mark Myers of Hartford, Kansas and Jon Stewart (Christi) of Lake Quivira, Kansas. He had 8 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Ann Gilbert, daughter-in-laws Sue Myers and Connie Myers, brothers Rolland and Mack, sisters Lorene Bittenbender, Evelyn LeMere, Juanita Couch, Paula Crumley, Zelma Christian and Betty Dillon.
Bill will be buried with Dorothy at Beman Cemetery in Alta Vista, Kansas.
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Final Resting Place
Bemen Cemetery
528-532 South 500 Rd
Alta Vista, KS 66834
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