Ruby Constance Reid Stewart
1924 - October 16, 2020
Sacramento, California - Connie Stewart was born Ruby Constance Reid in Talladega, Alabama in 1924 to Jesse Ebenezer and Virginia "Beatrice" Goodwin Reid. She passed away October 16, 2020 at the age of 96 after a brief illness, with her children at her side. Connie was the second of Jesse and Beatrice's two daughters.
During the Great Depression, her parents settled in Harlem, New York City where Jesse became the property manager of five apartment buildings. While these were tough years for the country Connie and her sister, Doris never felt deprived. "We had parks, beaches and libraries," Connie recalled, "and access to public transportation, world class museums and good schools." This was the height of the Harlem Renaissance.
She attended an all girls' high school and later went on to graduate from Hunter College in Manhattan and then earned a Masters at Columbia University's, Teacher's College. She was proudly a Black American with fair skinned with green eyes. To earn money needed to afford college she was often mistaken for white during those blatantly discriminatory times and was able to land jobs at Macy's flagship store and several of New York City's libraries including the 42nd Street Public Library.
Connie and her future husband, George Stewart, were initially pen pals. George was stationed in Europe with the US Army after World War II when their parents suggested the two start writing to each other. Upon his return to the states, they had a short courtship and married on December 26, 1948. Connie accompanied her husband to Nashville when he enrolled at Meharry Medical College. She worked in the library at nearby Fisk University. When she was on a train going south, blacks in that Jim Crow era were required to move to the "colored" section of the train when it passed the Mason-Dixon line. A conductor once told Connie she could remain in the white section. Insulted, she refused.
The Stewarts moved to Sacramento where George set up his dental practice and Connie taught art history at Peter Lassen Jr. High School. She served on the masters arts program panel for students pursuing advanced degrees, was an original founder the local graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, became an active member of the Links, Inc., the Couples Club, many book and arts clubs, and most importantly, the African American civil rights movement.
Connie is survived by her daughter, Amelia Virginia; son, John, daughter-in-law Clarice; and grandson Jordan Alexander. Motherhood, Connie said, "was the most wonderful aspect of my life." As an artist, Connie enjoyed drawing, sketching and painting. She was a prolific reader, a soulful piano player and a dutiful servant of God.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Los Rios Foundation, In the memory of Dr. George and Constance Reid Stewart, 1919 Spanos Court, Sacramento, CA 95825, or online, foundation.losrios.edu.
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published in The Sacramento Bee from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 2020.
1924 - October 16, 2020
Sacramento, California - Connie Stewart was born Ruby Constance Reid in Talladega, Alabama in 1924 to Jesse Ebenezer and Virginia "Beatrice" Goodwin Reid. She passed away October 16, 2020 at the age of 96 after a brief illness, with her children at her side. Connie was the second of Jesse and Beatrice's two daughters.
During the Great Depression, her parents settled in Harlem, New York City where Jesse became the property manager of five apartment buildings. While these were tough years for the country Connie and her sister, Doris never felt deprived. "We had parks, beaches and libraries," Connie recalled, "and access to public transportation, world class museums and good schools." This was the height of the Harlem Renaissance.
She attended an all girls' high school and later went on to graduate from Hunter College in Manhattan and then earned a Masters at Columbia University's, Teacher's College. She was proudly a Black American with fair skinned with green eyes. To earn money needed to afford college she was often mistaken for white during those blatantly discriminatory times and was able to land jobs at Macy's flagship store and several of New York City's libraries including the 42nd Street Public Library.
Connie and her future husband, George Stewart, were initially pen pals. George was stationed in Europe with the US Army after World War II when their parents suggested the two start writing to each other. Upon his return to the states, they had a short courtship and married on December 26, 1948. Connie accompanied her husband to Nashville when he enrolled at Meharry Medical College. She worked in the library at nearby Fisk University. When she was on a train going south, blacks in that Jim Crow era were required to move to the "colored" section of the train when it passed the Mason-Dixon line. A conductor once told Connie she could remain in the white section. Insulted, she refused.
The Stewarts moved to Sacramento where George set up his dental practice and Connie taught art history at Peter Lassen Jr. High School. She served on the masters arts program panel for students pursuing advanced degrees, was an original founder the local graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, became an active member of the Links, Inc., the Couples Club, many book and arts clubs, and most importantly, the African American civil rights movement.
Connie is survived by her daughter, Amelia Virginia; son, John, daughter-in-law Clarice; and grandson Jordan Alexander. Motherhood, Connie said, "was the most wonderful aspect of my life." As an artist, Connie enjoyed drawing, sketching and painting. She was a prolific reader, a soulful piano player and a dutiful servant of God.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Los Rios Foundation, In the memory of Dr. George and Constance Reid Stewart, 1919 Spanos Court, Sacramento, CA 95825, or online, foundation.losrios.edu.
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published in The Sacramento Bee from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 2020.
Ruby Constance Reid Stewart
1924 - October 16, 2020
Sacramento, California - Connie Stewart was born Ruby Constance Reid in Talladega, Alabama in 1924 to Jesse Ebenezer and Virginia "Beatrice" Goodwin Reid. She passed away October 16, 2020 at the age of 96 after a brief illness, with her children at her side. Connie was the second of Jesse and Beatrice's two daughters.
During the Great Depression, her parents settled in Harlem, New York City where Jesse became the property manager of five apartment buildings. While these were tough years for the country Connie and her sister, Doris never felt deprived. "We had parks, beaches and libraries," Connie recalled, "and access to public transportation, world class museums and good schools." This was the height of the Harlem Renaissance.
She attended an all girls' high school and later went on to graduate from Hunter College in Manhattan and then earned a Masters at Columbia University's, Teacher's College. She was proudly a Black American with fair skinned with green eyes. To earn money needed to afford college she was often mistaken for white during those blatantly discriminatory times and was able to land jobs at Macy's flagship store and several of New York City's libraries including the 42nd Street Public Library.
Connie and her future husband, George Stewart, were initially pen pals. George was stationed in Europe with the US Army after World War II when their parents suggested the two start writing to each other. Upon his return to the states, they had a short courtship and married on December 26, 1948. Connie accompanied her husband to Nashville when he enrolled at Meharry Medical College. She worked in the library at nearby Fisk University. When she was on a train going south, blacks in that Jim Crow era were required to move to the "colored" section of the train when it passed the Mason-Dixon line. A conductor once told Connie she could remain in the white section. Insulted, she refused.
The Stewarts moved to Sacramento where George set up his dental practice and Connie taught art history at Peter Lassen Jr. High School. She served on the masters arts program panel for students pursuing advanced degrees, was an original founder the local graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, became an active member of the Links, Inc., the Couples Club, many book and arts clubs, and most importantly, the African American civil rights movement.
Connie is survived by her daughter, Amelia Virginia; son, John, daughter-in-law Clarice; and grandson Jordan Alexander. Motherhood, Connie said, "was the most wonderful aspect of my life." As an artist, Connie enjoyed drawing, sketching and painting. She was a prolific reader, a soulful piano player and a dutiful servant of God.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Los Rios Foundation, In the memory of Dr. George and Constance Reid Stewart, 1919 Spanos Court, Sacramento, CA 95825, or online, foundation.losrios.edu.
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published in The Sacramento Bee from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 2020.
1924 - October 16, 2020
Sacramento, California - Connie Stewart was born Ruby Constance Reid in Talladega, Alabama in 1924 to Jesse Ebenezer and Virginia "Beatrice" Goodwin Reid. She passed away October 16, 2020 at the age of 96 after a brief illness, with her children at her side. Connie was the second of Jesse and Beatrice's two daughters.
During the Great Depression, her parents settled in Harlem, New York City where Jesse became the property manager of five apartment buildings. While these were tough years for the country Connie and her sister, Doris never felt deprived. "We had parks, beaches and libraries," Connie recalled, "and access to public transportation, world class museums and good schools." This was the height of the Harlem Renaissance.
She attended an all girls' high school and later went on to graduate from Hunter College in Manhattan and then earned a Masters at Columbia University's, Teacher's College. She was proudly a Black American with fair skinned with green eyes. To earn money needed to afford college she was often mistaken for white during those blatantly discriminatory times and was able to land jobs at Macy's flagship store and several of New York City's libraries including the 42nd Street Public Library.
Connie and her future husband, George Stewart, were initially pen pals. George was stationed in Europe with the US Army after World War II when their parents suggested the two start writing to each other. Upon his return to the states, they had a short courtship and married on December 26, 1948. Connie accompanied her husband to Nashville when he enrolled at Meharry Medical College. She worked in the library at nearby Fisk University. When she was on a train going south, blacks in that Jim Crow era were required to move to the "colored" section of the train when it passed the Mason-Dixon line. A conductor once told Connie she could remain in the white section. Insulted, she refused.
The Stewarts moved to Sacramento where George set up his dental practice and Connie taught art history at Peter Lassen Jr. High School. She served on the masters arts program panel for students pursuing advanced degrees, was an original founder the local graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, became an active member of the Links, Inc., the Couples Club, many book and arts clubs, and most importantly, the African American civil rights movement.
Connie is survived by her daughter, Amelia Virginia; son, John, daughter-in-law Clarice; and grandson Jordan Alexander. Motherhood, Connie said, "was the most wonderful aspect of my life." As an artist, Connie enjoyed drawing, sketching and painting. She was a prolific reader, a soulful piano player and a dutiful servant of God.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Los Rios Foundation, In the memory of Dr. George and Constance Reid Stewart, 1919 Spanos Court, Sacramento, CA 95825, or online, foundation.losrios.edu.
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published in The Sacramento Bee from Oct. 28 to Oct. 29, 2020.
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