Obits: Paul Edmund Stewart; Fayette County, Iowa ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES PROJECT NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ************************************************************************ The USGenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. All submissions become part of the permanent collection. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Adelaide McBride November, 2002 ____________________________________________________________________________ NOTE: For more information on Fayette County, Iowa Please visit the Fayette County, IAGenWeb page at http://iagenweb.org/fayette/ ____________________________________________________________________________ PAUL EDMUND STEWART Dec. 3, 1929. Dec. 4 newspaper, Courtsey of Waterloo Courier. Paul Stewart second son of Sam and Maud Stewart was born in Harlan township, Sept. 15, 1912. Early in his life his parents moved to Center Tlownship, where Paul received his educaton through his first eight grades. In 1929 he graduated from maynard High School. Shortly after he went to the Waterloo airport, where he enrolled in the course offered for aviators. On lNov. 20 Paul received his Pilot's lisence and another step in his life had been made. On December 2nd paul flew from the airport at Waterloo to his home near Randalia, intendingj to return that evening. The weather being very cold he failed to get the motor started, so he waited until morning. it still being cold the motor refused to start, so the b oys put a kerosene stock tank beneath the motor and then covered it with canvas. Being under the canvas a good deal of the time they must have inhaled that deadly gas. They thought nothing of it and soon got the motor started and after letting it run awhile Paul got into the enclosed cab and started a trial flightaround homle, going about 80 rods west and just turned to come holme when apparently he must have been overcome with gas for the machine crashed to earth taking with it our Paul. The accident happened on the home place. paul\s suffering was over. The tragedy happened on the anniversary of Paul\s grandfather Stewart's birthday, so that day will hold a double significeance for the Stewart family. Paul died at the age of 17 years, 2 months and 18 days. He leaves his parents, his older brother Harley and younger brother Delmar, two grandparents, Mr and Mrs. Mat Wells, six uncles, one aunt, twenty-one cousins and hosts of loving friends. The funeral will be held at the Maynard Opera House, Thursday afternoon. He will be buried in Long Grove Cemetery, Maynard, Iowa. STOVE FUMES CAUSE PAUL STEWART'S DEATH "Because he inhaled fumes from a kerosene burner before taking off on his fatal flight Paul Stewart was overcome while in the air and lost control of his plane, in the opion of M.R. Clark, aeronauticaldivision of the department of commerce, has decided. An investigation was held at Waterloo last week Wednesday. it was brought out that the Stewart boys (Paul and Harley) used an oil burner to warm the crank case oil under a canvas hood. Paul was under the hood for a considerable time while the stove was running. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Paul Edmund Stewart, second son of Sam and Maud Stewart, was born in Harlan Township September 15, 1912. Early in his life his parents moved to Center township where Paul received his education through the first eight grades. After completing his grammar school work, Paul came to Maynard High School where his older brother Harley had already started his work. His happy disposition, his ability to see the bright side of things, and general liking for everyone made him a lad loved by fellow students and faculty alike. In 1929 Paul completed his High School course, and he suggested the class motto "Always lead, never Follow." which the class adopted. Shortly after his graduation from Maynard High School he went to the Waterloo airport and enrolled in the course for aviators. On november 20th Paul received his Pilot's license and another step in his life had been made. Paul had chosen a line of work thrilling and filled with adventure, and also one which tests one's grit and endurance, as few other jobs do, and he felt that he was now ready to take his place in the world of business, but a will greater than his decreed otherwise. On December 2 Paul flew from the airport at Waterloo to his home near Randalia, intending to return that evening. The weather being very cold he failed to get the motor started, so he waited untill morning. It still being cold the motor refused to start so the boys put a kerosene stock tank heater beneath the motor and then covered it with canvas. Being under the canvas a good deal of the time they must have inhaled that deadly gas. They thought nothing of it and soon got the motor started and Paul got into the enclosed cab and after letting it run awhile started a trial flight around home, going about 80 rods west and just turned to come home when he must have been overcome with the gas for the machine crashed to the earth taking with it our Paul. The accident happened on the home place. Although medical help was called, Paul's suffering was over. Paul's name fittingly described him. Take the u from Paul and Pal is left, and that is what Paul was to his many friends, a real pal. Paul died at the age of 17 years, 2 months and 18 days. His going leaves desolate his mother, father, older brother Harley and younger brother Delmer, two grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Matt Wells, one aunt, six uncles, 21 cousins, and hosts of loving friends. "We shall see his face no more, But we know our Paul is happy, Though his going we deplore. Life to him has been abundant, and his parents may feel blessed. For they had him here to linger, his love, as them carressed." The funeral services were held at the opera house Thursday afternoon at 2 o' clock. The service opened with a piano prelude. Solo, "Face to Face, Gladys Clark, scripture reading, Rev. Doss of Randalia, prayer, Rev. Virgil Welch, song "Safe in the Arms of jesus", A.B.Grimes, Gladys Clark, Mabel Stiles and Dr. C.C. Hall, sermon, Rev. John De Long of Greeley, Obituary read by Rev. Welsh, solo, A.B. Grimes. Janet Simpson playing the accompaniment. Lola Smith presided at the piano for the service. The teachers of the High School and the class of 1929 attended in a body and at the close of the service passed around and dropped a bow of blue and while ribbon, the high school colors on the casket. There were many and beautiful floral offerings. Especial mention might be made of the airplane design to set on an easel, sent by the pilots of the airport at Waterloo. also the beautiful spray of blue and white flowers sent by his graduating class, and the 4H emblem. The pall bearers were Aden Livingstone, David Baker, aviator instructors from Waterloo. Ralph Oxley of Randalia. Edward Arp of Maynard, and Wayne Robinson and Herbert Lebmkuhl, members of the graduating class of 1929. The body was tenderly borne to Long Grove cemetery where amid a bed of beautiful flowers Paul was laid to rest in the family plot. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ " Paul Stewart, 17, crashes to ground yesterday near Randalia, Iowa, taking off for Waterloo in plane given by parents. Paul Stewart aged 17, met instant death yesterday when his airplane crashed to the ground near his home in Center township, southwest of Randlia. Young Stewart probably was the only owner of an airplane in Fayette County and was one of the youngest flyers in Iowa, also claimed to be one of the youngest licensed aviators in the United States. His seventeenth birthday was on September 23. The accident occurred on the home of the youth's parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.C. Stewart, three miles and a half south west of Randalia. It was wittnessed by Carl Jacobsen and his sister Mrs. W.R.Steffens, who live half a mile west of the Stewart home. While not familiar with airplane operations, Mr. Jacobsen says it appeared to him that Stewart was flying at a height of only about 100 feet, that he tried to make a turn and stalled his motor, then took a nose dive to the ground, He was instantly killed, his skull being crushed. PLANE GIFT TO BOY The monocoupe plane was a gift from the parents to their son. On November 5. Paul went to Moline, Illinois and flew the plane to the airport in Waterloo. He received his license on Nov. 20, and was hurrying to make up his fifty hours of flying so he could receive his transport pilots license. He had attended a Waterloo flying school the past summer and fall and since then had been employed at the Waterloo airport for Sunday service in carrying local passengers. Many rode with him. Young Stewart and his brother Harley flew Friday to Cedar Rapids to attend the 4 H boy's meeting, and flew back Saturday morning. He had done much flying around home and Maynard, and is said to have been utterly without fear in the air. Some twenty five people had flown with him including his father and six year old brother. He was planning an air trip to Cedar Rapids, for his mother before Christmas. Both of the Stewart boys had been active in 4 H club work. Paul having been in the sheep club for the last 4 years. Surviving are the parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.C. Stewart; an older brother Harley age 19 and a younger brother Delmer age six. His grandparents Mr. and Mrs. M. L. Wells, live near the Stewart home, and Mr. Wells is the oldest living native born resident of Fayette County, having been born near West Union in 1849."