T. "Leroy" Stewart

T. Leroy Stewart, 81, of Wamego, KS, died Friday, April 18, 2014 at the Wamego City Hospital.    He was born January 4 1933, in Wamego, the son of Leonard and Marian Teeter Stewart. He attended Wamego Schools and Kansas State University. Leroy was a U.S. Navy Veteran, serving as a physician's assistant.  In his younger years he worked on the family farm and later for Standard Oil, Wamego School District and Larson’s. Then he ended his work career with the City of Wamego as the City Clerk, retiring after 32 years of service until his retirement in 1999. During his tenure at the City, he signed bonds for Jeffery Energy Center and the Wamego City Hospital. He was proud to say he was a native of Wamego! Leroy was a member of the United Methodist Church in Wamego, Wamego Lions Club, and Masonic Lodge #75.  He was the financial secretary for many years and also held several district and state offices while in the Lions Club International for 54 years. He was also very active in the Wamego Senior Citizens, Meals on Wheels, Wamego Community Health Ministry, the Lions Eye Bank, and made 14 trips transporting children and their families to Shriner’s Children Hospitals. He was also a member of the League of Municipalities and served as Director of Wamego Housing Authority. While Leroy was working for the Wamego School District he met the love of his life and married Betty Jean Weber on February 14, 1959 at Fowler, KS. She preceded him in death August 16, 2006. He and Betty loved traveling. Leroy didn’t know a stranger and always was asking people he met where they hailed from and then of course trying to make a connection of some sort. Leroy was also preceded in death by his parents, a brother John (Jack), and a sister Cleona Weixelman. Survivors include two daughters, Kellie O’Shea (Steve), Blaine; Tracie Ballmer (Roger), La Vista NE; and son Shawn Stewart (Christi) Topeka; a sister: Francis Bishop (Guy), Topeka; two brothers, Lou Stewart of Topeka and Carl Stewart of Point Verde, FL; nine grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and numerous loved nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 23rd at the United Methodist Church in Wamego.   Burial will follow at the Wamego Cemetery.  Leroy will lie in-state at the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 22nd where a visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.  In Lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Wamego Methodist Church, or Wamego Lions Club, or Vintage Park at Wamego, and may be sent in care of the funeral home, PO Box 48, Wamego, 66547.