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Marvin Campbell Stewart

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths” Proverbs 3;5-6.

In the early evening of February 2, 2023, Marvin Campbell Stewart, age 87, husband of Margie Hudson Stewart entered the church triumphant surrounded by those whom he held dear to his heart. After a 28-year battle with cancer, Marvin has been healed in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Marvin was the eldest son of Marvin Cunningham and Vallie Campbell Stewart of Clinton, SC. In the summer of 1953, Marvin met the love of his life, Margie Ann Hudson. He was immediately captured by her beautiful smile and sweet nature. Margie was impressed with his kindness and good looks. In no time at all, they knew that God had placed them together. They were married on June 23 of 1957, and together they raised two children, Valerie and John. During their 65 year marriage, friends and family have often commented on how their love for each other was an example to all.

Marvin started his first job as a paper boy and often recalled selling papers on the train to passengers from all over who made their way through Clinton in the 1940s. Thus began a love for trains that led to a job as a telegraph operator with the Seaboard Railroad after high school. During high school, Marvin worked as a meat cutter at James Wilson’s grocery store in Clinton, and later would spend many years as a market manager with Colonial Stores in Spartanburg and later in Asheville. He spent most of his career as a sales rep for Greenwood Packing Company selling Carolina Pride Meat products to Ingles stores and restaurants throughout North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia receiving many top sales awards.

At age 50, a love for precision woodworking and tool making led Marvin to pursue a degree from Asheville-Buncombe Technical Institute as a machinist and tool and die maker working for 7 years at Skyland Tool and Mold until his cancer diagnosis at age 59. The prognosis looked grim, but his faith in his Heavenly Father never wavered and he survived a terminal illness for 28 years.

Marvin’s greatest joy was his family lovingly known by his grandchildren as GranDink. He loved fishing and spending time with his grandkids, camping at Shining Rock wilderness area with his son and nephews, cooking huge barbecues in his custom designed homemade barbecue grill, making homemade fishing lures, and traveling to National Parks, railroad museums, and revolutionary war historical sites.

Marvin served his country as a citizen/Soldier with the South Carolina and North Carolina National Guard and was called to high alert duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He loved his country with a Patriot’s heart. He was a member and range officer of the Asheville Rifle and Pistol Club and the West Asheville Civitans.

Marvin loved his Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and his church with all of his heart. He had a servant’s heart and a love for others and his life was a portrait of devotion to God and his family.

Even as illness gripped his body and mind, he continued to worship his Lord and sing the gospel hymns he cherished so much, even mouthing the words of those beloved hymns within the hour of his death. What a joyful, Heavenly homecoming there was as Jesus welcomed him home. His family rejoices for a life well lived and the example of God’s love that Marvin freely shared with all that knew and loved him. He was a Deacon, a ruling Elder, Clerk of the Session, and Adult Sunday School Teacher of the West Asheville Presbyterian Church where he was a member for over 60 years. He also was a member of the West Asheville Men’s Prayer Breakfast.

Marvin is survived by his wife of 65 years, Margie, of the home; his daughter, Valerie Stewart Jones (Les), of Laurens, SC; son, John Marvin Stewart (Traci), of Alexander, NC; his grandchildren, Stewart Jones (Kelly), of Laurens, SC, Emilie Jones (Natalie), of Brooklyn, NY, Elliott Jones (Shelby), of Asheville, Mary Elise Jones (Bill), of New York, NY, Katie Green (Jake) and Andrew Stewart (Haley), of Alexander; his great-grandchildren, Lillie Ann and Emma Grace Jones, of Laurens, SC, Emma Leona Jason and Daxton Campbell Jones, of Asheville; his two brothers, Don Stewart (Myra) of Cross Hill, SC and Thornton Stewart (Joanne), of Flat Rock, NC; sisters-in-law, Lola Morris, of Garden City, SC, and Harriet Walker, of Stone Mountain, GA.

Services will be held on Monday, February 6, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. Burial took place at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Candler.

Flowers are appreciated and memorials may be sent to Thornwell Home for Children, 302 Broad St, Clinton, SC 29325.

The family wishes to give special thanks to those who have supported us through this difficult time; Brandon Jochum, Sara Reinke, Christian Detisch, and Laura from Four Seasons Hospice for their loving care and support; Diane Hutchinson, Diane Lawrence, Teresa Penland and Shelby Jason for their wonderful love and support as they have cared for the entire family over the past months; Dr. Mike Messino and the Messino Cancer Center thank you for your dedication to Marvin’s cancer journey for so many years. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts.

The online register is available at www.grocefuneralhome.com.

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