Byron Arthur Stewart Jr.

Byron Arthur Stewart, Jr., 87, a life-long resident of Independence, MO, passed away on March 14, 2015. Services will be at 10:30 am, Thursday, March 19 at Speaks Suburban Chapel, 18020 E. 39th St., Independence, MO 64055; interment with Full Military Honors at Mt. Washington Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 9 am before the service at the chapel. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association Heart of America Chapter, 3846 W. 75th St., Prairie Village, KS 66208-4162 or your church.

Byron was born June 17, 1927 to Byron A. Stewart and Margaret (Clements) Stewart, both of whom predeceased him. In 1945 he graduated from William Chrisman High School where he was valedictorian, ROTC Colonel and senior class President. Between high school and college, he served in the U.S. Navy. In 1949 he graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa. After graduation he married his high school and college sweetheart, Charlotte Rose Garrison, who was the love of his life and his inspiration. They traveled extensively at home and abroad until their dream marriage of sixty years ended in 2009 when Charlotte passed of Alzheimer’s. In 1952 Byron received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School where he was awarded Order of the Coif. He practiced law in Independence for sixty-two years, most recently as senior member of the law firm of Stewart, Cook, Constance & Minton, LLC. For a number of years he was the Missouri reporter on the American Bar Association’s Committee on Significant Real Property Decisions and subsequently served in the same capacity on the ABA Committee on Significant Probate and Trust Decisions. He was a member of the Missouri Bar and served on Committees which drafted the Probate Code of 1980 and the Guardianship Code of 1983. He was Vice President (1965) and President (1966-67) of the Independence Bar Association. In 1961 he received the distinguished Service Award from the Independence Jaycees. He was President of the Independence Kiwanis Club and the Good Government League. In 1961 he was also elected to a thirteen- member City Charter commission which drafted the Independence home-rule charter. He worked diligently in the election that resulted in passage of the charter, bringing professional city manager government to Independence. In the seventies he was appointed by the Missouri Supreme Court to the 16th Judicial Circuit Bar Committee and served for eight years, two as Chairman of the Committee. For nine years he was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Independence Regional Hospital, two years as its Chairman. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the First National Bank of Independence. Annually, beginning in 1983, he was named as one of the Best Lawyers in America. In 1988 he was elected as a Fellow in the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.

Byron is survived by his three children, Byron “Garry” Stewart (Barbara) of Parkville, Laura Thompson of Independence, John Stewart (Amy) of Sibley, two grandchildren, Cheyenne and Aubrianna Rose Stewart, and six step-grandchildren. Online condolences may be expressed at www.speakschapel.com (Arrangements: Speaks Suburban Chapel 816-373-3600)