via O’Neill Hayes Funeral Home
After a courageous battle with cancer, Gordon Grant Stewart, CAPT USN (ret), of Newport, RI passed away on August 3, 2019, with family and friends close by.
CAPT Stewart was born in Toronto, Canada and emigrated to this country with his family in 1954. In the 1960’s, while some were renouncing their U.S. citizenship, CAPT Stewart proudly became a U.S. citizen.
Upon graduation from UCLA, CAPT Stewart joined the Navy as an Aviation Officer Candidate. Upon completion, he was designated a Distinguished Naval Graduate, allowed to augment into the regular Navy and was ordered to further flight training in the A-7E, the Navy’s newest attack aircraft. CAPT Stewart flew 126 combat missions in Vietnam, and during his 30-year career amassed 878 carrier arrested landings and 5500 accident-free hours in 15 different types of aircraft. His awards in the Navy include the Legion of Merit, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, 2 Meritorious service medals, 10 Strike Flight Air Medals and 8 Navy Commendation Medals with the Combat V. His awards also included numerous sea service, deployment and unit commendation ribbons. But the thing he was most proud was commanding a squadron deployed aboard the USS America, winning the Safety S and bring back home to their families every aviator and sailor under his command.
After finishing his Command Tour, CAPT Stewart received orders to the Naval War College from which he graduated with distinction and stayed on to teach a course in Planning in the Joint Military Operations Curriculum. He also held the William F. Halsey Chair in Air Strike Warfare.
After departing the War College, he proceeded to Argentina to serve as the Naval Attaché. His last tour in the Navy was the head of the Western Hemisphere Group where he provided in-depth analysis of political/military events in the Navies of the Western Hemisphere to the highest levels of Navy and civilian leadership.
He retired from the Navy in 1998 and worked as a Senior Defense Analyst for companies in Washington and Norfolk.
In 2008 CAPT Stewart moved back to Newport. He was an active member of the The First Presbyterian Church. He was a member of Quindecim and was Presiding Archon for two years. He was also a member of the Victorian Military Society where he served as Secretary and Commissary officer. He enjoyed lunches and libations with his friends at the Newport Reading Room and golf with his friends at Green Valley.
CAPT Stewart is survived by his wife of 42 years, Nanci. His children, son Jeff Clark, daughter Susan Morrow and husband Brendon and son Grant Stewart. He had six grandchildren, Elizabeth, Alexandra, Ellery, Emma, Logan and Roslyn. His brother, Jim Stewart and wife Marianne. And was loved by his nephews, nieces and cousins. His sister Nancy predeceased him.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, August 7, 2019 from 10:00 – 11:00 am at The First Presbyterian Church, 4 Everett Street, corner of Broadway & Everett, Newport, RI. A Funeral Mass will be held immediately following at 11:00 am. Burial will be on Thursday, August 8 at the RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 301 S. County Trail, Exeter.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 849168, Boston, MA 02284-9168 or to the Naval War College Foundation, 686 Cushing Rd, Newport, RI 02840.