James Council Stirewalt

May 25, 1927 – November 1, 2021

James Council Stirewalt of Salisbury, North Carolina died peacefully in the company of caregivers and family on Monday, November 1, 2021 at the Retirement Homes of Trinity Oaks in Salisbury, North Carolina. He was 94 years old.

Born at his family’s farmhouse in China Grove, NC, he was preceded in death by his parents, Murrill Henderson Stirewalt and Ruby Clare Blackwelder Stirewalt, his wife, Martha Arthurs Stirewalt, their first born child, Anna Christine Stirewalt along with his brothers, Ernest Bernard Stirewalt and Paul Brown Stirewalt.

He is survived by his children, Lisa Ruth Dove (DeLon), John David Stirewalt (Debbie), and Emily Grace Stirewalt along with his grandchildren James Dalton Dove (Malia), William DeLon Dove, Beau Arthurs Dove, George Sawyer Dove (fiance’ Rachael), Hannah Michelle Jackson (Matt) and Clara Grace Stirewalt. He also leaves behind his great-grandchildren Fifer Council, Felix James and Lily Pearl Ruby.

Growing up in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s, Jimmy witnessed a broad range of historical events. As a farm boy during the Great Depression, his life was happy and untouched by the crisis. As a teenager, he witnessed President Roosevelt’s funeral train as it passed through China Grove. Upon graduating from China Grove High School, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Second World War and stationed in West Germany. Serving in the Army Signal Corps, Corporal Stirewalt visited the bomb-shattered city of Berlin and sat in on the Nuremberg War Trials. There, he heard the testimony of German nurses and doctors who had committed hideous medical experiments on Jewish concentration camp prisoners.

Shaped by his experience in Germany, Corporal Stirewalt returned home to earn a Bachelor of History Degree at Catawba College. Following graduation, he taught 6th-8th grades at China Grove School. During this time he fell in love with Martha Alma Arthurs. Martha and Jim were fellow teachers who were introduced to each other by their students. This introduction led to Martha becoming Jim’s sweetheart and then his bride in May, 1955.

Sensing a call into ministry, Jim entered the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary in Columbia, South Carolina. He graduated with a Master of Divinity in 1956. Pastor Stirewalt’s life experiences fueled his passion for civil rights and human justice which enriched his ministry.

Pastor Stirewalt served at Cedar Grove Lutheran Church in Vale, North Carolina, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Reidsville, North Carolina, Ascension Lutheran Church in Danville, Virginia, Salem Lutheran Church in Salisbury, North Carolina, and Trinity Lutheran Church in Landis, North Carolina. While he was Pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church, the home church of Chrismons, he facilitated the publication of Chrismon guide books. He assisted in the founding of Rowan Cooperative Christian Ministry and frequently sat on the board of the Lutheran Retirement Home in Salisbury, North Carolina. Pastor Stirewalt served as Dean and other regional offices of the North Carolina Synod. His devotion to ministry was also marked by his keen sense for liturgical arts and sacred music. A gifted tenor, he often sang in community choral societies as well as his own church choirs. One of his fondest memories was being second tenor in the Catawba Men’s Octet which proudly performed at the Hollywood Bowl in California.

Pastor Stirewalt enjoyed his retirement years escorting his beloved wife, Martha, on trips to the Laurel-laden Smokies and the windswept Outer Banks. He often spoke of the enchanting moments he and his wife enjoyed on those trips. His retirement was peppered with visits from his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren who considered him the family historian, sage, and wise-elder. Retirement life also allowed Pastor Stirewalt to serve on several boards including the Rowan County Soil and Conservation Board. Pastor Stirewalt was a well-known resident of the Historic Fulton Heights neighborhood, and a loyal member of JF Hurley YMCA where he was fondly known for his daily walks. Toward the last years of his life, his neighbors and YMCA friends often looked in to check on his safety and health.

Pastor Stirewalt loved storytelling, collecting model trains, antiquing, restoring old cars, vegetable gardening and experiencing local and regional history. Each of these hobbies expressed his gratitude for the rich history that saturated his life. Above all, he was never happier than when he was with his beloved family.

The family would like to express their love and appreciation for the care which Pastor Stirewalt received from his JF Hurley YMCA friends, his Fulton Heights neighbors, Haven Lutheran Church, Dr. Chet Amin, his Novant Hospice Team and the Trinity at Home Caregivers.

A Visitation for Pastor Stirewalt will be offered on Saturday, November 27th at Linn-Honeycutt Funeral Home from 7:00 - 9:00 PM. A funeral service will take place at Mt. Moriah Lutheran Church in China Grove, NC at 2:00 PM on Sunday, November 28th. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested you kindly remember Pastor Stirewalt with memorials in his honor to Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary Scholarships at lr.edu/IGive2LTSS or Lutheran Services Carolinas for Refugee Resettlement Initiative at lscarolinas.net to donate and note that it’s for the LSC Refugee Program. Linn-Honeycutt Funeral Home is honored to be serving the family of Pastor Stirewalt.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.linn-honeycutt.com for the Stirewalt family.