Stewart Edward White Jr.
Stewart Edward White Jr., 73, died after a long battle with cancer on Tuesday Nov. 26, 2024 at the Sidney Health Center, Sidney, Montana, with loved ones by his side.
Stewart was born April 30, 1951, in Newark to Margaret Hopkins and Stewart White Sr. Stewart was raised in Kearny, and attended schools there, graduating from Kearny High School in 1970.
After graduation, he worked for Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company and later at PSE&G in the IT
department, both in Newark.
Stewart was an avid chess player and played in many tournaments over the years.
He met the love of his life, Robin Sweley, in 1999. He moved to Sidney, Montana, and married Robin in May
of 2000. He quickly assumed the role of father figure to Robin’s two children, Kimberly and Emily, and was soon also a caregiver for Robin.
At Christmas, Stewart was a very proud member of a community of real-bearded Santas. Robin hand-made his suits, curled his beard, and he held court at the Rushmore Mall in Rapid City, South Dakota, for many years.
Stewart was a communicant at St. Matthew’s Church in Sidney, where he served as a commentator and lector at Mass. He organized weekly group recitation of the Holy Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
He was a very kind and giving soul and will be missed dearly by many.
He is survived by his stepchildren Kimberly Skeens (Brad) and Emily (Sarah) Colegrove; grandchildren Jordan Skeens, Jay Skeens, and Diana Meehan; brother Earl (Patricia); sister Margaret Jane Gilbert; and many nieces and nephews. Stewart was preceded in death by his wife Robin, his parents Margaret and Stewart White, and sister Mary and brother John Paul who both died at birth.
A Mass of the Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024 at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, Sidney, Montana
A memorial Mass at St. Stephen’s, Kearny, for Stewart will be celebrated at a later date.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.