Richard Byron Stewart died Friday, Aug. 14, 2009, at his Moscow home. He was 84.
He was born Aug. 22, 1924, to Robert and Charlotte Stewart, at Waterloo, Iowa. He married Carol Florene Entz on July 8, 1944. She preceded him in death on Nov. 6, 2004.
Richard graduated from West Waterloo High School in 1942. He received the following degrees: bachelor of science in mechanical engineering in 1946, master of science in 1948, and doctor of philosophy in 1966, all from the State University of Iowa, with a major in mechanical engineering. He also received the professional degree Mechanical Engineer from the University of Colorado in 1959. Five hundred copies of his Ph.D. dissertation, "Thermodynamic Properties of Oxygen," were printed for distribution to NASA contractors for use in the design of life-support systems for the Apollo spacecraft.
After receiving his M.S. degree, Richard was appointed to the mechanical engineering faculty at the University of Colorado. In 1960, he went to the Cryogenic Engineering Laboratory of the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institutes of Science and Technology) in Boulder, Colo., where he headed a group for the development of algorithms for the thermodynamic properties of fluids. In 1966, after the completion of his Ph.D., Richard was appointed professor of mechanical engineering at Worcester (Mass.) Polytechnic Institute.
In 1969, Richard was appointed as professor and chairman of the mechanical engineering department at the University of Idaho. Along with his teaching and administrative duties, he continued his research work in thermodynamic properties that he started at the National Bureau of Standards.
Richard was a member and elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Moscow. He and Carol had two children, Richard Byron Stewart Jr., born Sept. 26, 1945, and Betty Anne Stewart, born March 25, 1947.
Richard Jr. received a B.S. in business from the University of Colorado in 1967, and a master of business administration degree from Northwestern University in 1968. Following his graduation he has been employed with several Wall Street firms, and now has his own financial advising firm.
Betty graduated with a B.S. in pharmacy from the University of Colorado in 1970, and has been employed since in several pharmacies in Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin and Idaho. Betty's favorite pastime is flying. She won World Aerobatic Championships in 1980 and 1982, and on Nov. 5, 2004, she was inducted into the Aerobatic Pilots Hall of Fame in Oshkosh, Wis.
Carol had a very enjoyable career teaching first grade, starting in the Fairview schools in Boulder, and in Moscow in 1969 until her retirement in 1987. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and also joined Richard in most of his activities.
Richard's interests and activities in addition to research and teaching included fishing, camping, travel and model railroading.
Richard and Carol wished to acknowledge the many opportunities given to them in their professional careers by establishing two graduate scholarships at the University of Idaho, and they also established a graduate scholarship in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Iowa. Memorial donations are suggested to University of Idaho graduate scholarship program, c/o the UI Gift Administration Office, P.O. Box 443147, Moscow, ID 83843.
At Richard's request, no public services are planned. Short's Funeral Chapel of Moscow has been entrusted with arrangements and online condolences can be left at www.shortsfuneralchapel.net.
