Beverly "Bev" Jean Stewart

Beverly Jean Stewart, age 89, of Duluth, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on May 20, 2025. Born in Duluth on October 6, 1935, to Clara and John Wierzchowski, Beverly was raised in Lakewood alongside her beloved sisters: Pat, Lola, Joyce, Julia, Mary, Nancy “Susie,” and Clara Jane, who passed away in infancy.

On August 7, 1954, Beverly married Earl Stewart and they shared 50 years of marriage before Earl’s passing in 2004. They had five children: Earl “Rocky” (Julie), David (Cella), Scott, Corey (Maria), and her favorite daughter, Kirsten Joy (Kevin); daughter-in-law Sherry; 16 grandchildren; 16 great grandchildren; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son Scott in 2013, Sherry, her parents, and all of her sisters except Susie.

Bev brought warmth, joy and unconditional love to her family, whether it was by bringing her grandchildren on the bus to the Christmas City of the North Parade followed by Coneys; baking her famous cookies; playing a fierce game of Scrabble or cards; sewing dance costumes, prom dresses, blankets, bed sets, pillows, curtains; reading to all the children; making sure her grandchildren washed behind their ears to prevent “potatoes” from growing; singing “How Much is That Doggy in the Window?”; skillfully driving them around; talking on the phone and shopping. She especially cherished timeless time at the cabin on Alden Lake.

Beyond her family, Beverly valued her close-knit community on Trinity Road, treasured lifelong friendships with Mary Lou, Rhoda, Judy, Mary, Jeannine, Maxine, friends from church, her walking group at the Miller Hill Mall, bowling league at Country Lanes, the Plus 55 Club, and her Thursday women’s club.

A devout Catholic, Bev was a longtime member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Duluth Heights. She lived a life of service—serving the poor, volunteering at the church bazaar (where she sold her handmade monkey dolls), leading Scouts, serving with the Shriner’s Auxiliary, and cooking spaghetti dinners for her son’s football team.

We want to thank all of the wonderful staff at Open Arms, who cared for Bev the last two years of her life with such gentleness, love and devotion.

Visitation: Friday, May 30th from 5:00 to 7:00pm, at the Dougherty Funeral Home, Duluth MN.

Saturday, May 31: Recitation of the Rosary at 09:30am, followed by a visitation at 10:00am, which will continue until the 11:00am Mass of Christian Burial at St. Lawrence Catholic Church, 2410 Morris Thomas Rd. Duluth MN. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery after lunch.

Arrangements by Dougherty Funeral Home, 600 E 2nd St, Duluth MN 55805, 218-727-3555. Please visit www.dfhduluth.com to sign the online guestbook.