Douglas William Stewart, 75, passed away peacefully on April 12, 2015 with his family beside him.
He was born August 24, 1939 in Los Angeles, CA and grew up in a small Mojave Desert town called Trona. Doug played baseball with his friends despite the 100+ degree heat and ate salt tablets like candy. After graduating from THS in 1957, he went to San Francisco State University to study English.
From 1963-1965 he served in the Army, mostly at Fort Monroe, Virginia, where he was a clerk. He was also a crack shot and was on the target shooting team.
After moving to Nevada he worked at various jobs, including as a Keno writer and a craps dealer at Harrah’s Club, while also attending the University of Nevada, Reno. There he met and, in 1969, married Caroline Bowdish. He received his B.A. in English in 1974, and moved to Pasco with Caroline. Doug earned a teaching credential from Walla Walla College, but only taught part-time. He became a Letter Carrier in 1977 and remained with the Postal Service until his retirement in 2002. Doug and Caroline had two sons, Colin, born in 1978, and Cameron, in 1982. Although they divorced in 1986, both of them remained involved in bringing up their sons.
From an early age Doug loved the out-of-doors, motorcycle riding, and fishing. He was a lifetime member of both the Sierra Club and the NRA. He collected books and read so widely that he seemed to know about everything.
Doug is survived by his sons, Colin Stewart of Kirkland, WA and Cameron Stewart of Pasco, and his former wife, Caroline Bowdish (Stewart) of Pasco.
A celebration of Doug’s life will be held on June 6 at 3:00 p.m. at the Richland Community Center. Contributions in his honor can be made to the Sierra Club Foundation (SierraClubFoundation.org) or to the Nature Conservancy (WashingtonNature.org).
Published in Tri-City Herald on May 22, 2015
