Post by richard on Jan 30, 2007 19:46:53 GMT -5
Barbara Stewart, 71, of Franklin Street, former Columbus first lady and lifelong community activist, died Tuesday, June 17, 2003, at sea aboard the Queen Elizabeth II.
She was a 1949 graduate of Columbus High School and a 1953 graduate of Concordia River Forest College in Chicago with a degree in education. She had been a teacher at a Lutheran school in Fort Smith Ark., and St. Peters Lutheran School. She was a lifelong member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Stewart was the first woman appointed to Bartholomew County Hospital’s board of trustees and was the first woman to serve as board president. She served for 20 years and was instrumental in the hospital’s development into a regional treatment center during which it underwent a massive expansion and changed its name to Columbus Regional Hospital. She also was a member of the hospital auxiliary and was instrumental in establishing the gift shop there.
She was a member and past president of Bartholomew County Historical Society and started the society’s series of historic homes tours. She was part of the group that founded Preserve to Enjoy, Leadership Bartholomew County and Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County, serving as chairman of the board, and was co-chairman of the first UnCommon Cause auction, a yearly event that raises money for free public programming at The Commons.
Soon after her husband became mayor of Columbus in 1983, Mrs. Stewart launched Ethnic Expo, a festival of ethnic food and entertainment held each October to celebrate and educate Columbus residents about the varied origins of the city’s population. She was instrumental in the formation and funding of the Stewart Pipers, a group of Columbus police and fire officers who play bagpipes at public ceremonies. She was the recipient of the Community Service Award from Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce in 1980, was named The Republic’s Woman of the Year in 1988 and was recognized by the Indiana Hospital Association with its Award of Merit in 1990.
A private family graveside service will be Thursday at Garland Brook Cemetery with the Rev. Nancy Schaefer Drake officiating. Special music will be by bagpiper Kevin Konetzka.
A public celebration and recognition of Mrs. Stewart’s life will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday in the dining pavilion at Columbus Regional Hospital where there will be designated parking.
Memorials may be made to the Barbara Stewart Vocational Scholarship Fund of Bartholomew County, managed by Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County.
Arrangements were made by Myers Funeral Service, Hathaway-Myers Chapel. Mrs. Stewart was born in Columbus July 3, 1931, the daughter of Clarence and Florence Schaefer Westermeier. She married Robert N. Stewart July 3, 1955, in Columbus. Survivors include her husband; her mother, of Columbus; a daughter, Rachel Stewart of San Anselmo, Calif.; and a sister, Doris Westermeier of Dallas. She was preceded in death by her father.
The above information appeared in The Republic June 27, 2003 and has been posted at the request of Margo.
She was a 1949 graduate of Columbus High School and a 1953 graduate of Concordia River Forest College in Chicago with a degree in education. She had been a teacher at a Lutheran school in Fort Smith Ark., and St. Peters Lutheran School. She was a lifelong member of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.
Mrs. Stewart was the first woman appointed to Bartholomew County Hospital’s board of trustees and was the first woman to serve as board president. She served for 20 years and was instrumental in the hospital’s development into a regional treatment center during which it underwent a massive expansion and changed its name to Columbus Regional Hospital. She also was a member of the hospital auxiliary and was instrumental in establishing the gift shop there.
She was a member and past president of Bartholomew County Historical Society and started the society’s series of historic homes tours. She was part of the group that founded Preserve to Enjoy, Leadership Bartholomew County and Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County, serving as chairman of the board, and was co-chairman of the first UnCommon Cause auction, a yearly event that raises money for free public programming at The Commons.
Soon after her husband became mayor of Columbus in 1983, Mrs. Stewart launched Ethnic Expo, a festival of ethnic food and entertainment held each October to celebrate and educate Columbus residents about the varied origins of the city’s population. She was instrumental in the formation and funding of the Stewart Pipers, a group of Columbus police and fire officers who play bagpipes at public ceremonies. She was the recipient of the Community Service Award from Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce in 1980, was named The Republic’s Woman of the Year in 1988 and was recognized by the Indiana Hospital Association with its Award of Merit in 1990.
A private family graveside service will be Thursday at Garland Brook Cemetery with the Rev. Nancy Schaefer Drake officiating. Special music will be by bagpiper Kevin Konetzka.
A public celebration and recognition of Mrs. Stewart’s life will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday in the dining pavilion at Columbus Regional Hospital where there will be designated parking.
Memorials may be made to the Barbara Stewart Vocational Scholarship Fund of Bartholomew County, managed by Heritage Fund of Bartholomew County.
Arrangements were made by Myers Funeral Service, Hathaway-Myers Chapel. Mrs. Stewart was born in Columbus July 3, 1931, the daughter of Clarence and Florence Schaefer Westermeier. She married Robert N. Stewart July 3, 1955, in Columbus. Survivors include her husband; her mother, of Columbus; a daughter, Rachel Stewart of San Anselmo, Calif.; and a sister, Doris Westermeier of Dallas. She was preceded in death by her father.
The above information appeared in The Republic June 27, 2003 and has been posted at the request of Margo.