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About William H (Bill) Stewart:

William Hines "Bill" Stewart February 18, 1920 ~ May 13, 2009
Obituary: William Hines ?Bill? Stewart, age 89 years, formerly of Wymore, Beatrice, and Lincoln died Wednesday May 13, 2009 in Valley, Nebraska. ?Bill? was born February 18, 1920 to Robert Ross ?Trid? and Etta Mae (Hines) Stewart. Bill grew up in Wymore, Nebraska where he graduated from Wymore High School in 1938 and was active in sports especially basketball. As a youth, he was a carrier for the Omaha Bee News with his dog, Dempster. His family fondly remembers his memorable tenor voice which he used throughout his life from singing in church to a local barbershop quartet. Following High School he took the train from Wymore to Lincoln, NE to attend college classes at Nebraska Wesleyan College. He took a job working for the United States Government in the Panama Canal and the Social Security Administration in Washington, D.C.

He served his country in the United States Army from Feb. 19, 1943 to March 16, 1946 as a Tech Sergeant in the 42nd Infantry Division known as the Rainbow Division where he earned a Bronze Star for bravery and a Silver Star for valor. The Rainbow Division was part of the expanded 7th Army attacking through the strong German defensive positions in the Hardt Mountains of France, penetrated the Siegfried Line at the German frontier, crossed the Rhine, and advanced into the cradle of Nazism, capturing Wurzburg, Schweinfurt, Furth, Donauworth and liberating the Dachau concentration camp on April 29, 1945.
Following the war Bill married Edna Mae Barnts Caffey who was a war widow with a son, Jerry, on May 13, 1950 at her sister?s home in Wymore. In his early career Bill worked as a real estate agent for the Benson Agency in Wymore and was involved in the community through the Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club, as a past member of Anderson Post #25 of the American Legion, Wymore Lodge #104, A.F. & A.M., and other organizations. The family moved to Beatrice in 1960, to Lincoln in 1968, and he and Edna Mae moved to Valley three years ago. He was a life insurance salesman for Metropolitan Life until his retirement. Before and after retirement Bill and Edna enjoyed an antique hobby that included buying, collecting, and selling, especially marbles. Frequent trips to California to visit their daughter and son in law included their hobby of buying and selling antiques. He also enjoyed ?sweets? and reading, especially history.
Bill is survived by his wife, Edna Mae; children and stepson, Jerry Caffey and his wife Mary of Valley; John Stewart and his wife Susie of Phoenix, AZ; Ruth Narancic and husband George of San Jose, CA; William H. Stewart Jr. and special friend, Elaine of Lincoln; Dan Stewart and wife Connie of Valley; by grandchildren, John Stewart, Jr., Joanna Olcutt and husband Jason, Patrick Caffey and wife Michelle, George Narancic, III and wife Andrea, Christopher Wm. Narancic and wife Courtney, Allison Stewart, Emily Stewart, Danielle Stewart and Kathryn Wiles and husband Eric; and by a sister-in-law, Rubye Stewart of Beatrice. He is also survived by 12 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and their children.
He is preceded in death by all of his 9 siblings, Keith (John) H. Stewart, Thelma Bingham, Frankie Bedner, Leola Heusman Wymore, Jean James, Robert (Dobb), an infant sister, Louise; Murray, Richard (Dick) and his parents.
Wymore Cemetery

About Edna Mae Barnts:

Home in 1930: Wymore, Gage, Nebraska
Charles Barnts 42
Hazel Barnts 37
Gerald Barnts 15
Margaret Barnts 13
Mildred Barnts 10
Edna Barnts 6