JT Stewart: Veteran of the Month | December 2024
JT Stewart was born in Turkey, Texas, in 1933, but he grew up in the small town of Levelland. in the Texas Panhandle. Due to his red hair, he was nicknamed “Red” throughout his life. Stewart’s
JT Stewart school photo 1950
childhood was characterized by hard work and perseverance while living on a cotton farm located seven miles outside of town. “Cotton ran the country back then, and everything was cotton,” he recalls. “It wasn’t a picnic back then. It was hard work.” The lack of electricity made life on the farm even more challenging. It wasn’t until after World War II that electricity was brought into his area.
Despite the challenges he faced, Stewart’s childhood also had its joyous moments. One especially memorable occasion was when he met his future wife, Sue, while they were both picking cotton. He explained that school was dismissed every day at noon to allow children to help local farms with cotton picking. Sue was brought to his family farm and had never picked cotton before. Stewart assisted her in picking cotton to ensure she met the required daily weight limit. At the time, Sue was just 13 years old, and he was 16. Two years later, they got married, starting a partnership that would last for 70 years.
Stewart with his wife Sue and oldest son after completing bootcamp.
In 1953, at the age of 20, Stewart decided to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, anticipating that he would likely be drafted. “The Korean War was still ongoing, and I thought it would be better to join the Marine Corps than to be drafted,” he says. When he left to enlist, he and Sue had just welcomed their first child.
His journey began at Camp Pendleton, California, where he completed boot camp. He later earned a certification, which earned him a license to drive any government-made vehicle. “I have a license from the government to drive any vehicle they made, and I got that through a test I took in Yuma, Arizona,” he explains with pride.
Stewart’s time in the Marines took him to Japan, where he was stationed at the foot of Mount Fuji. There, he was put in charge of a motor pool and was responsible for coordinating transportation for various units and officers. “They kept me over there longer than they were supposed to, but they said they would make it up to me by giving me a good duty station when I got back home to the States,” he recalls. True to their word, he was later stationed at a motor pool in California, where he drove routes and transported children of Catholic Marines to their school in Oceanside, San Diego.
Stewart, center, with friends.
After his military service, Stewart’s skills behind the wheel led to a career in civilian life. He began by driving trucks and maintaining roads in Texas, explaining, “That was great. It really was, but ohh, was it cold,” he says of his early work in Texas. “I would work at the cotton field at the beginning of the year, and when it would snow, we would have to rake white snow off of white cotton so we could gin it. Because you can’t gin wet cotton.” He eventually moved to California in 1958 at the urging of family and military friends, recalling that the day he left for California, it was 12 degrees below zero.
In California, Stewart’s career flourished. He drove for a freight company and then settled into a long-term role as a truck driver for Lucky Grocery Store, a position he held for 30 years. Over the years, he became well-known in his community, driving in local parades and even winning awards for his driving skills. Despite working two jobs for much of his life, Stewart found time to nurture his love of classic cars. He shared, “I had a hobby of Model T Fords. I built a few of them and restored them.”
Stewart in a car he restored.
The Stewart’s marriage is a testament to love and devotion. “We had a good marriage; we grew up together, is what we did,” he reflects. Together, they raised four children—three boys and one girl. Their daughter, born seven years after their youngest son, holds a special place in Stewart’s heart. “She is in charge of me right now, and she’s been in charge ever since she was born,” he says with a grin. He fondly recalls her tomboy days riding along with him in his truck.
After battling cancer, Sue suffered a stroke on December 1st, but she held on until their 70th anniversary on December 26th. She passed away the following January.
JT and Sue Stewart
The Stewart family’s legacy of service didn’t end with JT. His oldest son followed in his father’s footsteps, serving in the U.S. Army for 20 years and completing two tours in Vietnam.
Today, at 90 years old (soon to be 91 on December 27th), Stewart approaches life with gratitude. Despite being in a wheelchair while recovering from a broken hip, his optimism and sharp memory remain strong. “Like I say, I love life,” he says with his signature positive outlook.
Looking back on his military service, Stewart’s reflections reveal a sense of fate and fortune. An appendectomy prevented him from being sent to Korea, a twist of fate that likely changed the course of his life. He stated, “I believe I was in the right place at the right time.”
