- Date Of Birth: April 4, 1927
- Date Of Death: December 26, 2019
- State: California
Mrs. Rosalie (nee Merriman) Stewart, loving wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, and great grandmother entered into the Lord’s presence on December 26, 2019 at age 92. Rosalie was born April 4, 1927 on the Merriman family farm near Mound City, Kansas as the youngest of four daughters born to Samuel James Merriman and the former Keziah Coon.
She graduated from Pittsburg State University (PSU) in 1949 with a degree in Elementary Education and was a member of the Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. She met her husband William “Bill” Bullock Stewart Jr at PSU. They were married in 1951, in Kansas City, Missouri.
Rosalie worked as an elementary school teacher through Bill’s graduation from dental school in 1955. She joined Bill as a Navy wife proceeding to live in Kansas, Missouri, New York, Guam, and Long Beach, CA, before they settled in Port Hueneme, CA, in 1961.
She will be dearly missed by her relatives and the many longtime friends made through the years. Rosalie was a tireless mother, wife, volunteer, and sister walking in Christ. She is preceded in death by her parents, her three sisters-Viola Marie (Everette) Specker, Ruth (Wesley) Wurtz, and Ora Belle Merriman, son-in-law Rex Johnston, and granddaughter Rosalie Ellen O’Hara.
She is survived by her husband Bill, LCDR (Ret.), U.S. Navy, 32nd degree Mason and Legion of Honor Shriner; seven children-William Bullock Stewart III, Sandra Stewart Johnston, Bunny Elizabeth (Tom Porras) Stewart RN, CAPT James Terrence (Carol) Stewart USN(Ret), LTC Rosemary Ellen (Timothy) O’Hara USA(Ret), COL John Richard (Maria) Stewart USA(Ret), and Ronald Scott Stewart; 18 grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren.
