Matanuska Susitna-Matsu Borough-Anchorage County AK Archives Obituaries.....STEWART, Bernard Dwain April 30, 2010
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Kim Ross slimkim@gci.net May 6, 2010, 7:35 am

Anchorage Daily News 5 May 2010
Eagle River resident Bernard "Bernie" Dwain Stewart, 93, died April 30, 2010, 
at his home of natural causes.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Alpenglow Chapel, Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 19701 Driftwood Bay Drive in Eagle River. 
Burial will take place at Angelus Memorial Park.  Bernie was a member of the 
Arctic Valley Ward.

Bernie was born Dec. 1, 1916, in Page, Neb., to Peter and Anna Stewart.

From December 1942 until February 1946, he was in the Army-Air Force, where he 
was an aircraft engine mechanic. 

He married Elnora S. Kifer on March 5, 1938, in Yankton, S.D..

He came to Alaska in 1952 while searching for a new adventure in a state where 
anything was possible. He settled in Anchorage and worked for the city for a 
few years while he built up his own excavation company, Stewarts Excavating. 
In 1961, he bought 116 acres of land on Hiland Road and set up his homestead, 
where he lived until he passed. He was the first homesteader on Hiland Road, 
where he built the road from the highway.

Many people knew Bernie from his private airstrip on Hiland or his goats that 
were always getting out to find greener grass. They also knew him for driving 
his dump trucks, backhoes or tractor equipment, pushing dirt until he was 92 
years old.

Bernie Stewart was known for his pioneering spirit and his hard work ethic 
whatever he did, whether it was growing his magnificent garden, flying his R-
22 helicopter, digging up a sewer system or being the captain of his boat 
fishing out of Homer.

His family wrote: "He is in all of our hearts and thoughts and will be sadly 
missed. He played an instrumental role in the original community and current 
growth of Eagle River as a founding member. He touched all he came in contact 
with and will never be forgotten. May he rest in peace and may he have fun 
with the unlimited supply of tractors and toys to play with in the ultimate 
playground in the sky. We know he will have everything ready for us when we 
all meet again."

He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Sandy and John Meno of Eagle 
River; daughter and son-in-law, Sylvia and Ron Dixon of Shasta Lake, Calif.; 
adopted sons, Stacey Stewart of Shasta Lake and Steven Dennis Stewart of Eagle 
River; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-
grandchildren. 

Mr. Stewart was preceded in death by his wife, Elnora.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice House, 
2612 E. Northern Lights Blvd., Anchorage 99508

Arrangements have been entrusted to Legacy Funeral Homes, Kehl's Chapel, 
www.legacyalaska.com. 

Read more: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/adn/obituary.aspx?n=bernard-
stewart-bernie&pid=142477724#ixzz0myo3W34f

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