Benjamin Stewart 91, of Hilton Head Island and husband of Ida Mae Stewart, died Tuesday, June 27, 2017, at his residence.
Funeral services for Mr. Stewart are being planned for Saturday, July 1, 2017; at 11:00 am at the Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 382 Squire Pope Road, Hilton Head Island, SC. Burial will follow in the Amelia White Cemetery, Hilton Head.
The body will repose at the church from 10:00 am, Saturday, until the hour of service.
Benjamin “Captain Ben” Stewart, Sr., was born on February 12, 1926, on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to the late Deacon Charles Stewart and the late Cora Lee Bligen Stewart.
Captain Ben, as he was affectionately called, attended the local island public schools. At an early age, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. He was baptized and became a member of the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church on Hilton Head Island. He was joined in holy matrimony to Ida Mae Aiken of Hilton Head Island on May 23, 1950.
Captain Ben was a man of prayer. He wanted his family to always pray because he knew from whence cometh his help. In his early years, he was a professional commercial fisherman who traveled and worked along the South Carolina, Georgia and Florida coasts. He was an expert at navigating the Intracoastal Waterway to find fish, shrimp, crabs and other bounty from the sea. When fishing season was slow, Captain Ben became a longshoreman for a short period of time. In the late 1940s, he moved to Savannah to start a better life. Captain Ben always shared his daily catch, which he called “A Truck Load of Love, with his neighbors on Baker Street. When his children were all grown, Captain Ben returned back to Hilton Head Island in the late 1970s but continued to work in the Savannah area. During this period, he worked as the head fisherman for Mr. Billy Sasson on Wilmington Island. Captain Ben was one of the first African Americans to own his own shrimp boat, the “Betty P.,” and a popular Hilton Head club, called Stewart’s Paradise.
Captain Ben was a man of many words. He spoke profound words of wisdom and shared humor. He taught all of his children the value of hard work. He often said, “if a man don’t work, he don’t eat.”
On Tuesday, June 27, 2017, in the stillness of his room, while in a peaceful sleep, the Lord called Captain Ben to his heavenly home, from labor to reward.
Captain Ben was preceded in death by his parents; his two brothers, Henry (Albertha) and Washington Stewart; and two sons, Herman Lawyer and Benjamin “Bubba” Stewart, Jr.
No life is ever complete without endearing family and friends that have enriched our lives along the way, and such is the case with Captain Ben. He leaves to cherish his memory his loving, supportive and devoted wife of 67 years, Mrs. Ida Mae Aiken Stewart of Hilton Head Island, SC; his children, Shirley Aiken Drayton, Betty Stewart-Miller, Ronald Stewart (Marilyn), and Letha Stewart all of Hilton Head Island, SC, Evangelist Janet Mason (Wornell) and Viola Winbush (Clifford) of Savannah, GA, Deacon Nathaniel Stewart (Jacquelyn) of Cayce, SC; Dianna Wells (Lenoris) of Atlanta, GA, Curtis Miller, Danny Simmons, and Leslie Marie Hall; one brother, Arthur Stewart (Isabell) and one sister-in-law, Margaret “Sugaree” Stewart of Hilton Head Island, SC; 36 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren; two great- great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Marshel's Wright-Donaldson Home For Funerals is in charge of the arrangements.
Funeral services for Mr. Stewart are being planned for Saturday, July 1, 2017; at 11:00 am at the Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 382 Squire Pope Road, Hilton Head Island, SC. Burial will follow in the Amelia White Cemetery, Hilton Head.
The body will repose at the church from 10:00 am, Saturday, until the hour of service.
Benjamin “Captain Ben” Stewart, Sr., was born on February 12, 1926, on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to the late Deacon Charles Stewart and the late Cora Lee Bligen Stewart.
Captain Ben, as he was affectionately called, attended the local island public schools. At an early age, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. He was baptized and became a member of the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church on Hilton Head Island. He was joined in holy matrimony to Ida Mae Aiken of Hilton Head Island on May 23, 1950.
Captain Ben was a man of prayer. He wanted his family to always pray because he knew from whence cometh his help. In his early years, he was a professional commercial fisherman who traveled and worked along the South Carolina, Georgia and Florida coasts. He was an expert at navigating the Intracoastal Waterway to find fish, shrimp, crabs and other bounty from the sea. When fishing season was slow, Captain Ben became a longshoreman for a short period of time. In the late 1940s, he moved to Savannah to start a better life. Captain Ben always shared his daily catch, which he called “A Truck Load of Love, with his neighbors on Baker Street. When his children were all grown, Captain Ben returned back to Hilton Head Island in the late 1970s but continued to work in the Savannah area. During this period, he worked as the head fisherman for Mr. Billy Sasson on Wilmington Island. Captain Ben was one of the first African Americans to own his own shrimp boat, the “Betty P.,” and a popular Hilton Head club, called Stewart’s Paradise.
Captain Ben was a man of many words. He spoke profound words of wisdom and shared humor. He taught all of his children the value of hard work. He often said, “if a man don’t work, he don’t eat.”
On Tuesday, June 27, 2017, in the stillness of his room, while in a peaceful sleep, the Lord called Captain Ben to his heavenly home, from labor to reward.
Captain Ben was preceded in death by his parents; his two brothers, Henry (Albertha) and Washington Stewart; and two sons, Herman Lawyer and Benjamin “Bubba” Stewart, Jr.
No life is ever complete without endearing family and friends that have enriched our lives along the way, and such is the case with Captain Ben. He leaves to cherish his memory his loving, supportive and devoted wife of 67 years, Mrs. Ida Mae Aiken Stewart of Hilton Head Island, SC; his children, Shirley Aiken Drayton, Betty Stewart-Miller, Ronald Stewart (Marilyn), and Letha Stewart all of Hilton Head Island, SC, Evangelist Janet Mason (Wornell) and Viola Winbush (Clifford) of Savannah, GA, Deacon Nathaniel Stewart (Jacquelyn) of Cayce, SC; Dianna Wells (Lenoris) of Atlanta, GA, Curtis Miller, Danny Simmons, and Leslie Marie Hall; one brother, Arthur Stewart (Isabell) and one sister-in-law, Margaret “Sugaree” Stewart of Hilton Head Island, SC; 36 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren; two great- great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Marshel's Wright-Donaldson Home For Funerals is in charge of the arrangements.
Benjamin Stewart 91, of Hilton Head Island and husband of Ida Mae Stewart, died Tuesday, June 27, 2017, at his residence.
Funeral services for Mr. Stewart are being planned for Saturday, July 1, 2017; at 11:00 am at the Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 382 Squire Pope Road, Hilton Head Island, SC. Burial will follow in the Amelia White Cemetery, Hilton Head.
The body will repose at the church from 10:00 am, Saturday, until the hour of service.
Benjamin “Captain Ben” Stewart, Sr., was born on February 12, 1926, on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to the late Deacon Charles Stewart and the late Cora Lee Bligen Stewart.
Captain Ben, as he was affectionately called, attended the local island public schools. At an early age, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. He was baptized and became a member of the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church on Hilton Head Island. He was joined in holy matrimony to Ida Mae Aiken of Hilton Head Island on May 23, 1950.
Captain Ben was a man of prayer. He wanted his family to always pray because he knew from whence cometh his help. In his early years, he was a professional commercial fisherman who traveled and worked along the South Carolina, Georgia and Florida coasts. He was an expert at navigating the Intracoastal Waterway to find fish, shrimp, crabs and other bounty from the sea. When fishing season was slow, Captain Ben became a longshoreman for a short period of time. In the late 1940s, he moved to Savannah to start a better life. Captain Ben always shared his daily catch, which he called “A Truck Load of Love, with his neighbors on Baker Street. When his children were all grown, Captain Ben returned back to Hilton Head Island in the late 1970s but continued to work in the Savannah area. During this period, he worked as the head fisherman for Mr. Billy Sasson on Wilmington Island. Captain Ben was one of the first African Americans to own his own shrimp boat, the “Betty P.,” and a popular Hilton Head club, called Stewart’s Paradise.
Captain Ben was a man of many words. He spoke profound words of wisdom and shared humor. He taught all of his children the value of hard work. He often said, “if a man don’t work, he don’t eat.”
On Tuesday, June 27, 2017, in the stillness of his room, while in a peaceful sleep, the Lord called Captain Ben to his heavenly home, from labor to reward.
Captain Ben was preceded in death by his parents; his two brothers, Henry (Albertha) and Washington Stewart; and two sons, Herman Lawyer and Benjamin “Bubba” Stewart, Jr.
No life is ever complete without endearing family and friends that have enriched our lives along the way, and such is the case with Captain Ben. He leaves to cherish his memory his loving, supportive and devoted wife of 67 years, Mrs. Ida Mae Aiken Stewart of Hilton Head Island, SC; his children, Shirley Aiken Drayton, Betty Stewart-Miller, Ronald Stewart (Marilyn), and Letha Stewart all of Hilton Head Island, SC, Evangelist Janet Mason (Wornell) and Viola Winbush (Clifford) of Savannah, GA, Deacon Nathaniel Stewart (Jacquelyn) of Cayce, SC; Dianna Wells (Lenoris) of Atlanta, GA, Curtis Miller, Danny Simmons, and Leslie Marie Hall; one brother, Arthur Stewart (Isabell) and one sister-in-law, Margaret “Sugaree” Stewart of Hilton Head Island, SC; 36 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren; two great- great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Marshel's Wright-Donaldson Home For Funerals is in charge of the arrangements.
Funeral services for Mr. Stewart are being planned for Saturday, July 1, 2017; at 11:00 am at the Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 382 Squire Pope Road, Hilton Head Island, SC. Burial will follow in the Amelia White Cemetery, Hilton Head.
The body will repose at the church from 10:00 am, Saturday, until the hour of service.
Benjamin “Captain Ben” Stewart, Sr., was born on February 12, 1926, on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to the late Deacon Charles Stewart and the late Cora Lee Bligen Stewart.
Captain Ben, as he was affectionately called, attended the local island public schools. At an early age, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior. He was baptized and became a member of the Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church on Hilton Head Island. He was joined in holy matrimony to Ida Mae Aiken of Hilton Head Island on May 23, 1950.
Captain Ben was a man of prayer. He wanted his family to always pray because he knew from whence cometh his help. In his early years, he was a professional commercial fisherman who traveled and worked along the South Carolina, Georgia and Florida coasts. He was an expert at navigating the Intracoastal Waterway to find fish, shrimp, crabs and other bounty from the sea. When fishing season was slow, Captain Ben became a longshoreman for a short period of time. In the late 1940s, he moved to Savannah to start a better life. Captain Ben always shared his daily catch, which he called “A Truck Load of Love, with his neighbors on Baker Street. When his children were all grown, Captain Ben returned back to Hilton Head Island in the late 1970s but continued to work in the Savannah area. During this period, he worked as the head fisherman for Mr. Billy Sasson on Wilmington Island. Captain Ben was one of the first African Americans to own his own shrimp boat, the “Betty P.,” and a popular Hilton Head club, called Stewart’s Paradise.
Captain Ben was a man of many words. He spoke profound words of wisdom and shared humor. He taught all of his children the value of hard work. He often said, “if a man don’t work, he don’t eat.”
On Tuesday, June 27, 2017, in the stillness of his room, while in a peaceful sleep, the Lord called Captain Ben to his heavenly home, from labor to reward.
Captain Ben was preceded in death by his parents; his two brothers, Henry (Albertha) and Washington Stewart; and two sons, Herman Lawyer and Benjamin “Bubba” Stewart, Jr.
No life is ever complete without endearing family and friends that have enriched our lives along the way, and such is the case with Captain Ben. He leaves to cherish his memory his loving, supportive and devoted wife of 67 years, Mrs. Ida Mae Aiken Stewart of Hilton Head Island, SC; his children, Shirley Aiken Drayton, Betty Stewart-Miller, Ronald Stewart (Marilyn), and Letha Stewart all of Hilton Head Island, SC, Evangelist Janet Mason (Wornell) and Viola Winbush (Clifford) of Savannah, GA, Deacon Nathaniel Stewart (Jacquelyn) of Cayce, SC; Dianna Wells (Lenoris) of Atlanta, GA, Curtis Miller, Danny Simmons, and Leslie Marie Hall; one brother, Arthur Stewart (Isabell) and one sister-in-law, Margaret “Sugaree” Stewart of Hilton Head Island, SC; 36 grandchildren, 36 great grandchildren; two great- great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Marshel's Wright-Donaldson Home For Funerals is in charge of the arrangements.
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