World War II veteran Richard Stewart, a member of St. Simon of Cyrene, Lincoln Heights, was recently honored in Normandy, France during ceremonies marking the 79th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. Stewart was one of about 2,000 African American soldiers deployed to Normandy, where he served as a member of a segregated unit of the U.S. Signal Corps,
Stewart and his son, Samuel, traveled to France on May 30 with a group of 45 veterans. He was one of three African Americans in the group, and, at 102, the oldest. Among those who gathered to wish Stewart well before his flight took off from Cincinnati was Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney, who presented him with a proclamation declaring May 30, 2023 “Richard V. Stewart Day.”
“The Lord cared for me and brought me back safe and sound,” Stewart told the Cincinnati Herald. “He is still caring for me now.”
“Mr. Stewart, two years into his next century, embodies servant leadership, inspiring those of us who witness his walk in this world,” the Rev. Dr. Mary Laymon, St. Simon of Cyrene’s priest-in-charge, said. “After serving his country in World War II, he returned home to serve his neighbors. As a funeral director, he shepherded many families through a time of grief and vulnerability.”
Laymon is thrilled to see Stewart in his regular seat every Sunday. “I’m grateful for his quiet, faithful presence, reminding us what it looks like to live a life full of years,” she said.
