Obituary of Kenneth F. Stuart

Kenneth Frederick Stuart, 88, a former longtime resident of Watchung, died peacefully on Wednesday, May 2, 2007 at the Fellowship Village retirement community in Basking Ridge. He was born in Plainfield on Jan. 16, 1919 to the late Kenneth H. and Violet Stuart, and grew up in North Plainfield. He lived in Watchung for most of his adult life, moving to Fellowship Village in 2003. A 1936 graduate of North Plainfield High School, Mr. Stuart was a veteran of World War II, having served in the Army Air Corps in England and Belgium. For most of his career he worked as an independent sales representative for several shoe and clothing manufacturers, retiring in 1986. Mr. Stuart was a member of the Wilson Memorial Union Church in Watchung and the Veterans of Foreign War, serving for a time as chaplain of the VFW post in Martinsville. A sports enthusiast, he skied until he was in his late 70s, and played golf and racquetball until a few years ago. He also enjoyed fishing and boating at his vacation home in Manasquan. He was predeceased by his wife, Merle, who died in 1999. Surviving are his daughter and son-in-law, Sandy Stuart Perry and Christopher Perry of Bedminster; his son and daughter-in-law, Alan and Linda Stuart of Brunswick, Ga.; three grandchildren, Janice Burkhart and Michael Stuart of Brunswick, and Nicholas Perry of Bedminster; and one great-granddaughter, Katelyn Burkhart. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m Tuesday, May 8, at Wilson Memorial Church. Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Plainfield. Friends may call at the Higgins Home for Funerals, Mountain Boulevard, Watchung from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, May 7. Memorial donations may be made to Wilson Memorial Church, 7 Valley Road, Watchung, N.J., 07069.