Roosevelt Stevenson Stewart, was born March 3, 1929 to Roosevelt and Iola Grimmett Stewart in Tuskegee Institute, Alabama and was the oldest of seven children. The family lived on Penny Street as well as Brick Yard Hill Street and attended Greenwood Baptist Church.
While attending Tuskegee Hight School, Roosevelt worked in the Tuskegee Institute cafeteria all four years to help his family financially. In 1948, he entered Tuskegee Institute as a freshman and matriculated for almost two years before being drafted by the United States Army to serve his country from 1951-1953 in the Korean War. Roosevelt was stationed in Manheim and Heidelberg, Germany, working throughout his military career in food service at hospitals. After two years, he returned to school and graduated from Tuskegee Institute in 1954 with a bachelor’s degree in Restaurant Management. From 1954-1956 Roosevelt attended Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia on the G. I. Bill. There he earned a Master’s of Business Administration degree.
Upon graduation Roosevelt explored opportunities in Corporate America in San Francisco, Chicago and Cleveland. However, he was aggressively recruited to teach at Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia, and worked there from 1959 -1972. Roosevelt subsequently taught at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania from 1972-1976. His final academic post was at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Alabama, where Roosevelt worked for 1977-1995 (18 years) until his retirement. Throughout his career as a professor, he taught business and economics courses.
Roosevelt loved a great debate and was a voracious reader who was rarely seen without a book tucked under his arm. As an avid tennis player, he was always in search of a good game and frequently attired in shorts and jogging suits. After retirement, Roosevelt was heavily involved in activities at Regency Retirement Village, Huntsville-Madison Senior Center and the local public library. He was also an enthusiastic supporter of the Auburn football team. Roosevelt attended First Missionary Baptist Church (FMBC) and preferred the 7:00 a.m. worship service where weekly, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he made the rounds before and after service to greet members of the congregation.
Roosevelt transitioned from this earth on Sunday, January 8, 2023 at the age of 93. He is preceded in death by brothers Nathaniel Stewart, Charles Stewart, Curtis Stewart, Thomas Stewart and sister Jeanette Arnold.
He is survived by brother Harold Stewart of Atlanta, GA. Cousins Bernice Harris of Cleveland, OH; Lelia Harris of Los Angeles, CA; Janice Germany and Eloise Silvertooth of Cleveland OH. Nephews Curtis Stewart, Jr. of Las Vegas, NV; David V. Stewart of Los Angeles, CA; and Stuart Arnold of Atlanta, GA. Nieces Jeannine Stewart of Sacramento, CA; and Karen Stewart of Cleveland, OH. Sisters-in-laws Leola Stewart of Tuskegee, AL; and Bertha Stewart of Cleveland, OH. In addition to devoted friends that include Thurman and Mabel Gordan; Rita Finch, his FMBC family; members of the Space City Racquet Club; and a host of former Alabama A&M faculty and students.
Memorial service will be 12:00 p.m., Saturday, March 25, 2023 at the Fellowship Hall of First Missionary Baptist Church (3509 Blue Spring Road, Huntsville, AL 35810).
