Mr. Wilburn E. “Junior” Stewart of Middleton departed this life Wednes- day, March 13, 2013 at Bolivar General Hospital. He was 86 years, 3 months and 25 days old.
Mr. Stewart was born in Searles, Tennessee to the late Wilburn E. and Ruby Doyle Stewart. On No- vember 5, 1950, he was united in marriage to Sarah Winnette Butler who preceded him in death Octo- ber 19, 2012. He worked as a welder, cowboy, heavy machinery operator, and cattleman. He served in the United States Army from 1947-1955 and was a veteran of the Korean War. He loved horses and mules and was described by his family as a “Jack of All Trades.” He was Baptist in belief.
Visitation was held Friday evening, March 15, 2013 at the home of Peggy and Terry Howell. On Satur- day, March 16, 2013, Junior will be carried to his final resting place in a mule-drawn wagon driven by Terry Howell to the Howell Family Cemetery where funeral services and interment will take place. The service will be officiated by Bro. Adri- an Knipper. Those serving as pallbearers for the service include Stephen Howell, Jon Howell, Ben Howell, Dana Hall, Sonny Smithwick, Sid Clayton, Kenneth Stewart, honorary, and Bobby Stewart, honorary. A special poem will be read by daughter Susan Ellstrom and music will be performed by a grandson, Ryan Shoemaker.
Survivors include his daughters, Sandy Hall and husband Dana of Core Point, North Carolina, Rosanna Smithwick and husband Sonny of Core Point, North Carolina, and Susan Ellstrom and husbandJimofBossierCity,Louisiana;sons,Mike Stewart and wife Dorothy of Bolivar and Arthur Stewart of Gatlinburg; special family members, Terry and Peggy Howell of Middleton, Stephen and Charity Howell and their children Blake, Bo & Sally, Jon Howell and Ben Howell; brothers, Thax- ter Stewart of Bolivar and Murly Stewart of Boli- var; and sisters, Ruth Hammons of Bolivar, Betty Stewart of Bolivar, Linda Cranford of Bolivar, and Janie Shearin and husband Fred of Germantown; eight grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchil- dren.