Senator William C. Stuart View All Years

WILLIAM C. STUART

Judge William C. Stuart was born on April 28, 1920, in Knoxville, Iowa, to George C. and Edith Abram Stuart. He passed away on August 12, 2010, at the age of 90. He is survived by his wife, Elgin; two sons, Corwin “Corky” of Brooklyn, Iowa and Cullen of Lincoln, Maine; two daughters, Melanie Curlee of Chariton and Valerie Karis of Racine, Wisconsin; seven grandchildren, Zachary, Nathan, Joshua, Cristin, Natalie, Elgin, and Olivia; two great grandchildren; and his sister, Marjorie Stuart Daasch of Cleveland, Tennessee.

Stuart graduated from Chariton High School in 1937 and Chariton Junior College in 1938. He then went on to the University of Iowa. In 1941 he graduated sixth out of 150 and received his law degree with high distinction (Order of Coif) in 1942. He was a pilot in the Naval Air Corps from 1942-1945. In 1946 he returned to Chariton to practice law with his father in the Stuart and Stuart Law Firm, becoming the fourth generation of Stuarts to practice law in the Chariton National Bank and Trust Building.

He married Mary Elgin Cleaver on October 20, 1946.

Stuart became a Senior Judge in 1986, after a distinguished career including nine years as a Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court and fifteen years as a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University Of Iowa College Of Law honoring him for his “exemplary reputation for his scholarship, integrity, fairness, industriousness and his abiding sensitivity toward the personal dignity of each individual.”

Stuart was a member of many organizations including First Presbyterian Church of Chariton, Chariton Historical Preservation Commission, Friendship Force, Masons, Shriners, American Legion, Rotary, American bar Association, Iowa Bar Association, Institute of Judicial Administration, and the American Judicature Society.

He was an avid Hawkeye fan and supporter and held Iowa season football tickets since WWII. He loved spending time with his family and friends. He enjoyed golf, camping, fishing, boating, snow skiing, reading, stamp collecting, drawing, refinishing antiques, and listening to music. He wrote a poem for Elgin commemorating their 50th wedding anniversary and published a children’s book, Grandpa Gander’s Up-to-date Nursery Rhymes.

Stuart was a Lucas County Republican. He served in the Iowa Senate from 1953–1961 during the 55th, 56th, 57th, 58th, and 59th General Assemblies.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE EIGHTY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF IOWA: That in the passing of the Honorable William C. Stuart, the State has lost an honored citizen and faithful and useful public servant, and that the Senate by this resolution expresses its appreciation of his service to the State and tenders its sympathy and kindest regards to the members of his family.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the Senate and that the Secretary of the Senate be instructed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

JONI ERNST

PAUL MCKINLEY

TOM RIELLY

Committee