Ronald "Ron" Harold Stewart

Ron was born on August 21, 1949, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Harold and Eileen Stewart. He passed away suddenly on November 17, 2022. Ron is a native of Speedway, Indiana, and graduated from Speedway High School in 1967, with active involvement in the speech/debate team and musical theater productions. Growing up, Ron spent summers in Canada helping his parents run a fishing camp near Red Lake, Ontario. Ron graduated in 1971 from Indiana University, with a major in Political Science. He went on to receive a Master’s degree in Education from Butler University in 1977.

Ron began his coaching journey as a 7th grade football and basketball coach while working as a history teacher at Carmel Jr. High School, in Carmel, Indiana. His career as a basketball coach began when he became the Head Varsity Basketball Coach at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. He transitioned to the college ranks with an Assistant Coach position at the University of Nebraska (1979-1980) and then onto Dallas as an assistant at Southern Methodist University (1980-1982).

On September 24, 1982, Ron was united in marriage to June Melott at Highland Park United Methodist Church. They were blessed with two sons, Ryan and Kyle.

After their marriage, Ron and June moved back to Indiana, where Ron became the Head Basketball Coach for Carmel High School (1982-1986). Ron made the move back to the collegiate level as an Assistant Coach at Kansas State University (1986-1990). The Wildcats participated in four consecutive NCAA tournaments, advancing to the Big Eight Conference Championship and then the NCAA Regional Championship game in 1988. Ron continued as a collegiate Assistant Coach when he made the move to the University of Florida (1990-1996). Florida reached two NCAA tournaments and advanced to the 1994 Final Four.

In 1997, Ron began his eleven season run as the Head Women’s Basketball Coach for Western Michigan University. His teams achieved the best single season record in WMU women’s basketball history. They reached one NCAA tournament,and made three WNIT appearances, including a run to the WNIT Elite Eight in 2004. From 2008 to 2012, he joined the women’s basketball coaching staff at the University of Nevada, elevating to the position of Associate Head Coach. From 2012 to 2014, he served as an assistant at Fresno State University, winning the Mountain West Conference championship and advancing to the NCAA tournament.

In addition to his college coaching experience, Ron assisted with practices and training camp for the 1995 USA Basketball World University Games and served as the Head Coach in the Superior Professional Basketball League in Puerto Rico for the Guayama Brujos during summers of 1988 and 1989.

In 2014, Ron and June returned to live in Dallas, Texas. Ron advanced to the NBA as a Team Scout for the Milwaukee Bucks (2014-present), celebrating with the Bucks as they won the 2021 NBA World Championship.

Ron loved every aspect of his career in the game of basketball: recruiting, long days in the gym, analyzing game tapes for scouting reports and all the wonderful travel opportunities over the years. Among Ron’s favorite hobbies were traveling for pleasure with his family, time at the beach, boating in Michigan and golfing. June and Ron often traveled to New York City,enjoying the theater, cuisine and sites of the city. Topping the list was the “bucket list” experience of celebrating New Year’s Eve 2022 by seeing the crystal ball drop live in Time Square. Ron was always the beloved family tour director with each activity of the itinerary researched and planned perfectly. His love for new adventures and his many stories of past experiences brought joy to all he shared them with.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Eileen Stewart, and parents-in-law, Jenny and Jerry Melott. Survivors cherishing his memory include his wife, June Stewart, and sons Ryan (Kyleigh) and Kyle (Megan).

Memorial contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project to the Memorial of Ron Stewart, Irving, Texas, at the link below.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Sparkman-Hillcrest.com for the Stewart family.