Leawood, Kansas – Evan Ray Stewart peacefully passed away on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 surrounded by his wife and daughters.  He was 81 years old.

Evan was born on December 1, 1942 in Belleville, Kansas to Raymond and Genevive Stewart.  He was the youngest of two boys. His big brother, Dean Stewart, was his best buddy.  Evan earned his Eagle Scout in 1954, at the age of 12.  He played the trumpet, basketball, football and ran track.  He graduated from Nickerson High School, went to Hutchinson Junior College and then went to Kansas State University where he joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and studied Math, since Computer Science was not yet a thing!  He earned his MBA from UMKC and spent many years as a Mentor for the Bloch School, encouraging young entrepreneurs to thrive and grow.  Evan spent his career working for Shell Oil, Butler Manufacturing, Shook Hardy & Bacon and retired from BE Aerospace. 

Evan lived his life to the fullest, being PRESENT is each moment and loving others with great abandon. Every day he would wake up at 4:44 AM and begin his day with a hunger to “Eat Change for Breakfast!” He was passionate about technology, reading, spending time with his loved ones and learning, learning, learning. He read more than 2 books every week of his life.  As a matter of fact, if you were one of those people blessed to go to breakfast or lunch with him, the first thing he would ask you is, “what are you reading?”   Evan used every hour of each day in a positive and productive way, whether spending it in God’s word, learning, improving technology, cheering on his grandchildren or loving on a family friend who needed him.  He was wise beyond his years and more technologically savvy than people half his age.  Before AI was a thing, he was already working on it. 

Evan loved life, but most of all he loved his wife of over 60 years, Karen Casey Stewart.  They met at K-State at an SAE Fraternity party and fell in love.  He proposed at the Sunset Zoo in Manhattan and they married on May 24,1964 in the All Faiths Chapel on campus.  They graduated from K-State, dad with a Math Degree and mom with a degree in Fashion Merchandising. They have lived in Colorado, California, Missouri, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Kansas, making memories and lifelong friends wherever they have lived.  Evan played racquetball weekly throughout his adult life with friends and family, teaching all the grandsons and nephews how to play.  He and Karen were members of Asbury United Methodist Church and Village Presbyterian Church. He loved Jesus and shared that love through service to others. He served on the United Methodist Church Kansas East Conference, taught Sunday School, was an adult mentor for the Heart of America Boy Scouts, and a member of the Masonic Lodge.

Evan and Karen have two daughters, Heather (Eben) Hall, of Kansas City, Missouri and Ashley (Mike) Neff, of Olathe, KS.  They have amazing grandchildren, Jake Hall (25), Quinn Hall (23), Grace Hall (19), Joshua Neff (12) and Karis Sandin (soon to be granddaughter in law). Truly they loved their grandchildren with so much love that it almost seems impossible there could have been more love to go around.  At no time in their lives, have they not felt loved by Grandpa Evan (GPE). He taught them to read, learn math, play chess, play pool, swim, understand and appreciate technology (of course) but mostly, he taught them love, true unconditional love.  

Evan will be so very missed by his wife, daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren, brother, sisters-in-law, brother-in-law, nieces, nephews, cousins and too many friends to count.  He loved well and he was well-loved. We can hear God saying, “Welcome Home my son.”

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at Village Presbyterian Church located at 6641 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208.  A Visitation will begin at 10:00 am with a Service and Reception to follow. There will be a livestream for those unable to attend at https://www.villagepres.org/online.html.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to a charity of your choice in his honor.