Norris Floyd Stewart

Funeral service for Norris Stewart will be held 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 14, 2023, at the Assembly of God Church of Claremore.  Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Norris Floyd Stewart passed away on Monday, April 10th, 2023 at the age of 95.

The son of Thomas Lee and Mary (Bunch) Stewart was born February 27, 1928 in Mexia, Texas.  He would spend his childhood in Groesbeck, Texas.  There he would later attend Groesbeck High School.  During his high school years he was proud of the fact that he was the quarterback for the Groesbeck Goats.  He would graduate as a member of the class of 1945.  Upon graduation, Norris joined the Merchant Marines.  Over the next several years, Norris would see the world, working with the Merchant Marines. After completing his service, Norris returned home to Groesbeck.  Having an entrepreneur mind set, Norris opened Stewart's Grocery.  While running the store during rough economic times, Norris was always proud that he was able to extend credit to those in need. In October of 1950, everything changed, when Norris was called to serve the United States Army.   He would serve a stint in Germany, before being discharged as a Sergeant on August 17, 1953.  Upon returning home, Norris decided to leave the store behind and move to Tulsa.  He would take a job with Douglas Aircraft, and began working as a aircraft mechanic.  It was also while working at Douglas that he met Ruth Warman.  A nice young lady who was working as a secretary.  They would begin dating and married on July 29, 1955.  The newly wed couple would continue living in Tulsa, until 1958.  It was then that they decided to move the family to Claremore.  Norris would continue working in the aviation industry.  He made the switch from Douglas, to Rockwell and finally Boeing, retiring in 1990 at the age of 62.

In his spare time Norris had many hobbies, past times and things  he enjoyed doing.  He loved growing vegetables so he could ultimately give them away to friends and family.   At one time he purchased several acres outside of town so he could raise cattle.   Although he wasn't big into watching tv, he never passed up an opportunity to watch the Dallas Cowboys or the Texas Longhorns.  Norris also considered himself a lover of the outdoors.  Many of his family trips were spent driving in the mountains from Tennessee to Colorado.  With all the things Norris enjoyed, one thing stood above them all.  It was the fact that Norris loved to serve God.  He was a prayer warrior, for not only his family and church, but for anyone in need.  He was a long time member of the Claremore Assembly of God, where he served as a Deacon and Sunday School Superintendent.

He is preceded in death by his parents Thomas and Mary Stewart; siblings, Thomas Stewart, Juanita Daugherty, and Joe Stewart. Survivors include his daughters, Debbie Grover and husband Kevin, Brenda Smiling and husband Mark, and Cheryl Dorsey and husband Kendall; grandchildren, Brandon Dorsey and wife Deborah, Dustin Dorsey, Candice Dorsey, Brittany Kiper and husband Creighton, Brooke McIntyre and husband Benjamin, Gentry Bjorklund and husband Kevin, and  Tiffany Smiling and Bradley Smiling; great-grandchildren, Emilia Dorsey, Kingston, Zara and Gemma Kiper, Kellan, Hallie and Reese McIntyre, Adelaide and Anderson Bjorklund and one more arriving this summer, and siblings, Frances Kasner, and Terry Stewart and wife Donna.