James Leonard Stewart

James Leonard Stewart
December 3, 1942-December 31, 2019

James Leonard Stewart was a coal miner, husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and a skilled joker. He had a contagious sense of humor. You couldn’t help but laugh when he told a joke, because he laughed so hard telling them.

He loved life and lived it to the fullest of his ability. He never met a stranger and was quick to offer a helping hand. He also loved to look at pretty women. He said when he met (Selma) Zianne she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on. He loved her so much he married her twice. One of his final requests was to have his wedding band resized to fit that he might be buried with it, eternally bound to her. He also requested a new one for Mom, because she loves jewelry. Her ring arrived the day he died, but I whispered in his ear the early hours of morning that Mom’s ring would arrive later that day and how much she’d love it.

This wasn’t Dad’s first battle with death. He was like a cat of nine lives. In his early 40’s he had two or three strokes, we’ll never know exactly how many, because he often denied the first one that left him temporarily paralyzed on one side of his body; as if admission somehow gave death leverage and he rejected that notion. He fought his way back valiantly and spent many years smoking, drinking Budweiser, watching football, and sharpening his joke telling skills.

Next, in 2006 death came for him again. This time it was tongue cancer. He smoked his last cigarette the morning before surgery and gave up Budweiser altogether. It was a radical surgery and he lost a portion of his tongue, but even that only slowed him down temporarily. Soon he was out running errands all over town, talking to everyone he crossed paths with, and spent as much time with family as possible.

Then, in late 2018 or early 2019, he had what he described as a “spell.” Turns out that spell was in deed a heart attack. They tried twice unsuccessfully to insert a stent. Surely this slowed him down? Nope. Only as long as he was in the hospital. He soldiered on, preparing breakfast for Mom every morning, helping James Jr. nurse her back from the brink of death, and running errands. It was months later that he complained of a pain in his side that landed him in the emergency room with pneumonia. As the tests would later reveal he had lung cancer that had metastasized. No cure, only treatment that might alleviate some of the symptoms. Once the pneumonia cleared up and heart stabilized enough, he had one treatment of chemo that again landed him in ER. He narrowly escaped imminent death, but like a phoenix rising, he left the hospital within a week.

The weeks that followed were full of sweet memories, trips down memory lane, and planning the end. Against all odds, he was determined to live past Christmas and that he did. There were a couple more near death experiences, dreams of his long-lost loved ones, family, and dogs.

In the end, he made peace with God. Stan Yates came to visit, Dad said the sinner’s prayer and signed his name. He said he knew someone was coming, he just didn’t know it would be Stan, that he was a good man. He tried really hard not to curse after that.

He lived. He loved. He laughed. He put up an admirable fight against death before ceding his last breath at his daughter’s home in Easley, SC on December 31, 2019.

He is survived by his wife, Selma Zianna Stewart of Simpsonville, SC. His brother, Cecil Stewart and sister-in-law Linda Stewart, of Pineville, WV. His daughter Cathy Stewart of Salisbury, NC. His daughter Nancy Yates, and son-in-law Jason Yates, of Easley, SC. His daughter, Debbi Pittman, and son-in-law Alan Pittman of Greer, SC. His son, James Leonard Stewart, Jr. of Simpsonville, SC. He is survived by four grandchildren: Chris Bohanon of Easley, SC. Alex Suttles, married to Bobby Suttles of Rockledge, FL. Taylor Ray of Greer, SC and Ada Yates of Easley, SC. He is also survived by two great grandchildren: Daisy Bohanon of Taylors, SC and Ryan Suttles of Rockledge, FL.

He was preceded in death by his father William Roscoe Stewart and his mother Catherine Jane Stewart. He was also preceded in death by two brothers: Jerry Lee Stewart and Roger Sherman Stewart.