In Memory of Willis “Bill” Stewart

Willis “Bill” Stewart, age 100, of Cedar died July 8, 2023 at Ecumen North Branch.  Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. Friday, July 14th at Strike Life Tributes in Isanti.  A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.  After a lunch at our facility, a graveside service with Military Honors will be held at West Oak Grove Cemetery at 3:15 P.M.

 

Willis “Bill” Stewart was born February 15, 1923 to DeForest and Viola Stewart in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is where he would grow up along with two siblings, Harold and DeForest Jr.

In April of 1944 he enlisted in the United States Army and dutifully served until November 1945. Upon returning home, he soon met the love of his life, Juanita. After marrying on March 27, 1947, they made their home in the Minneapolis area and welcomed three children, Warren, Linda and LouAnn.

Willis’ determination and hard work ethic allowed him to own his own trucking and moving company, Available Transfer. This also gave him the ability to retire at a young age and move his family out to Oak Grove. This is where his love of farming flourished, and he was able to grow many different crops and make a profit on doing something he loved. He participated in farmers markets, but most of the time you would see him chatting with neighbors who stopped by his stand on the farm.

Willis was very involved and committed to his family and to his community. He was a member of the Cedar/Oak Grove Lions Club, Cedar commercial club, the Oak Grove zoning committee, Senior’s club and held a seat on the Oak Grove city council. The Stewart Family also adopted a section of Nightingale Street in the Adopt a Highway program, which the whole family had participated in for many years. Summers were spent at the lake cabin where fishing and stories were in abundance along with some intense games of checkers.

The list of achievements and accomplishments is many, but when asked, he would always say that his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were his greatest accomplishments and the thing that made him most proud. This is what made his life “great.”

Willis passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at Ecumen North Branch at the age of 100. He is preceded in death by his parents, siblings, granddaughter, Christin (Bell) Birkholz, grandson-in-law, Damien Schaub.

Willis is survived by his loving wife of 75 years, Juanita; children, Warren, Linda (Rod) Johnson, LouAnn (Steve) Bell; grandchildren; Jennifer (Barry) McDonough, Janette (Kerry) Liddle, Robert Johnson, Cassandra Schaub; grandson-in-law, Tim Birkholz; great grandchildren; Shelby, Cody, Austin (Mackenzie), Kayli, Chloe, Ellie, Maddie, Aiden, Jaxson, Bailey, Landon and Mason.