James Andrew Stewart DMD

Dr. Stewart, who was known throughout his life by the nicknames, Jim, “Doc Stewart” and “Poppy”, was born in Detroit, Michigan on August 24, 1923, the only child of Harold A. Stewart and Lydia Burge Stewart.

As an only child, Jim delighted in escapades with his many cousins in Louisville. He started out curious about the world around him and delighted in having all kinds of adventures. He had a lifelong fascination with mechanics, starting with learning to fix broken watches he would buy at a local pawn shop. As the son of an Army officer, Jim attended the Gulf Coast Military Academy in Mississippi and enlisted in the Navy as a Corpsman after his graduation, during World War II. He served in the Pacific theater, where the casualty rate for U.S. Naval Corpsmen was around 80%. He spent the duration of the war assisting surgeons operating to heal wounded soldiers and sailors in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

After the war, Jim enrolled in college at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he met his best friend and soon to be wife, Leatha Fulkerson. They began their lifelong adventures by spelunking in nearby caves and singing together in local bars. With Leatha at his side, Jim went on to study dentistry at the University of Louisville, graduating as a Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry (DMD).

Upon graduation from dental school, Jim and Leatha established a dental practice in Franklin, Ohio and bought a home nearby in Carlisle, where they raised five children: Andy, Bruce, Mary, Bess, and Katie. For over 40 years, “Doc Stewart” served over 40 patients a day. His cheerful manner set the tone for a happy dental office on River Street, where all patients were welcome, whether they were well off or on public assistance. His practice was focused on the needs of the community, which required working on Saturdays and staying open well past 5:00 p.m. Eager to not turn away anyone with a dental emergency, Doc Stewart (together with his long-time office manager, Juanita) was willing to negotiate payment, resulting in the acquisition of broken watches, homemade “hooch” and other items of interest.

In his spare time, “Poppy” enjoyed adventures with his family starting with canoe trips down the Twin Creek, ice skating on a local pond, weekend backpack trips, and the infamous sailing fiascos at Hueston Woods (His homemade sail, for his daughter Mary’s aluminum canoe, was too big for the rivets and turned the boat inside out!) He also taught himself skills such as wood carving and furniture making, building large and complicated pieces to enrich the homes of his family members and friends. He shared the wonders of the night skies with his grandchildren, grinding the mirror for a 17” Dobsonian Telescope, which he made himself and was perpetually improving. In retirement, he was an active member of the Engineer’s Club of Dayton, where he enjoyed the company of creative thinkers like himself in the “Barn Gang.”

Poppy and Leatha moved into Bickford Assisted Living in 2019, where they were known for riding around the grounds, with Leatha in her wheelchair holding on to Poppy’s motorized scooter, going a little too fast and having a blast. After Leatha’s death in 2020, Poppy’s pleasant humor remained, and he was a favorite of the staff and fellow residents at Bickford.

Coming from a background as an only child, Poppy never stopped delighting in his large family, which grew to include great-grandchildren.

We will always honor the memory of Poppy, who set an example of how to live a successful life that included family, adventures, learning new things, and serving one’s community. He made the world brighter and kinder with his quirky humor, compassion, intelligence, and curiosity.

James Andrew Stewart is survived by five children: James Andrew, Jr. (Susan), Bruce H. (Robin), Mary T. Stewart (Scott Tompkins), Elizabeth (Andrew) Simkin, and Katherine (Sanjay) Kohli; grandchildren: Sky Stewart (Theresa Harrington), Lillian Stewart, Fiona (Eric) Wildman, Robert Stewart (Anna Haas), Benjamin Tompkins, Elizabeth Tompkins (John Jones), Amy Tompkins, Matthew Tompkins, Alfred (Arshia) Simkin, Charles (Drew) Simkin, Eva (Jonathan) Caldera, Mira Kohli and Neven Kohli; and great-grandchildren: Sienna and Silas Wildman, Saoirse and Eamonn Haas-Stewart, Logan, Luca and Mia Simkin, Harrison and Penelope Caldera.

Preceding him in death were his parents, and his wife of 69 years, Leatha Fulkerson Stewart.

The family will hold a celebration of Poppy’s life in the spring at a date still to be determined. If anyone wishes to make a memorial contribution, please consider Franklin Area Historical Society (302 Park Ave., Franklin, OH 45005 www.franklinohhist.org ), Franklin Area Community Services - Food Pantry (345 South Main St, Franklin, OH 45005 www.facswarren.org ) or the Engineer’s Club of Dayton (110 E Monument Ave, Dayton, OH 45402 www.engineersclub.org ).

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