Obituary for Gerald Jean Stuart

Gerald Jean Stuart was the eldest of eight children in the family of Harold and Lois (Kimzey) Stuart. He was born April 6th, 1936, on a farm in Squaw township and passed from this life on December 22, 2022, at Southern Hills Specialty Care in Osceola, Iowa.  Gerald attended country school in the Medford community and graduated from New Virginia high school in 1954. He married Bea Hess in 1957 and they raised two sons, Jim and Rob, on their acreage west of New Virginia.  Gerald worked at Frye Copysystems for 28 years until they closed in 1988 and then worked at Delevan’s until he retired.  Gerald and Bea spent many years raising hogs, sheep, calves and goats on their small farm. He loved to coon hunt with his brother Lon and father-in-law Deyo and shared his knowledge with many nephews, neighbors, and his grandson.  Gerald and his family showed Quarter horses and he was a founding member of the New Virginia Saddle Club.  In 1984, Gerald bought a team of Belgian mares and that became a big part of his life. Showing and working draft horses and going to draft horse sales was something Gerald enjoyed and could share with his family.  He was a member of the Iowa Draft Horse & Mule association. In 2010 Gerald was inducted into the Iowa Draft Horse Hall of Fame.  Gerald was a big fan of all Interstate 35 sports and attended many events throughout the years.

Left to cherish his memory is his wife Bea, son Jim (Sherry) of New Virginia, son Rob of New Virginia, grandson Joe Stuart and granddaughter Jill (Nathan) Wickett of New Virginia, Jennafer Kimzey and Derek (Emily) Kimzey (niece and nephew). Great-grandchildren Libby and Karlee Stuart, Noah and Jace Wickett and Megan and Jeff Eddy.  Sisters Mary Harlan, Martha (Dave) Lathrum, and Betty (Robert Rodriguez) Jones, brothers Short (Carol) and Terry (Joanie), sisters-in law Joan Stuart and Kathleen Stuart, brother-in-law Jay (Fonda) Hess, sisters-in-law Karen (Dick) Mathews and Karma Kimzey, along with many other family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Lonnie and Paul, brother-in-law Rod Harlan, and in-laws Deyo and Ruth Hess.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the New Virginia Methodist Church, I-35 Mat Club, or I-35 Quarterback club.