Stewart, Leslie R.
Birth
Leslie R. Stewart
Education
Occupation
Marriage & Children
Death
Leslie R. Stewart
Obituary
Leslie R. Stewart Dies
By CAROL DuBRIN
This past week Leslie Stewart, area farmer and retired General Electric Company refrigeration foreman, died in the Guilderland Center Nursing Home. He was 88. Les was born in Rensselaerville.
In 1913 his father became a sharecrop farmer on a rented Settles Hill farm. The elder Stewart purchased the farm In 1917.
The same year Les, one of nine children, graduated from the State University College at Canton (St. Lawrence Co.,), Following graduation he served in the Army during World War I. In 1920 he married the former Greta Cordell and brought her home to the farm, which the couple bought in 1922. They lived their entire married life there.
Les found that dairy farming didn't provide well enough to bring up his family and just before the depression hit he got a job with G.E. in Schenectady. "That's what got us through the lean years," Greta would say.
Sons John C. (Jack) and Robert E. (Bob)) grew up there on the family farm helping create the "old swimming hole," dredging it out with a team of horses and planting the seedling pines that now form a woodland sanctuary around it. That was Greta's joy. Usually sharing the house with hired hands, Les created a little summer cottage for himself and Greta to escape to. He collected stone from the fields for a fireplace and naturally bent tree limbs to shape a bedstead.
Les Stewart was very honest, a man of strong beliefs and will, a man concerned for his country, his community, his church, family and friends. He was always generous to his friends bringing plants, flowers, farm produce to share. He always had cut flowers for Greta in the house summers. At his moving funeral service "In the Garden" was sung—an especially appropriate hymn for Les. Many have wonderful memories of Easter dawn services on the farm overlooking Altamont and the Helderbergs.
A veteran of World War I he was ever the patriot, fighting strongly
for what he believed was best. He pushed for centralization of the schools serving on the consolidation committee and worked for paving of rural roads. He sang in the Altamont Reformed Church choir .(he had a lovely tenor voice) and was an active member of that church for over 50 years, serving on many committees, as deacon and elder and helping out whereever possible: (How many turkeys did he slice for the church restaurant at the Altamont Fair?)
Les was a member of the Noah Lodge of Masons, Altamont and Boyd Hilton American Legion Post.
Survivors include a son; Robert of Menlo Park, California; a brother Kenneth Stewart of Maple Crest (Greene Co.); a sister, Zilpha Gifford of Valatie; seven grandchildren and 12 great-grand- children.
Services were held in. the Altamont Reformed Church with burial in Park Cemetery, Scotia. Rev. Robert Lindens conducted the services. Jean Van Syckle, music director, assisted. "In the Garden," a duet by longtime choir members Dr. Milford Becker and Herbert Schaible, was their special memorial. Arrangements were made by the Fredendall Funeral1 Home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Altamont Rescue Squad.
- Altamont Enterprise - January 24, 1985
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