KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC–Russia Elizabeth “Lib” Stewart, 91, lifelong resident of the Dixon Community near Kings Mountain, NC, passed away on February 20, 2025 at Peak Resources Shelby.
She was born June 26, 1933 in Cleveland Co., NC. Reared on a farm, daughter of the late George Taft Stewart and Letha Bell. Lib was also preceded in death by her brothers, Herman “Buck” Stewart, Ralph Edward Stewart, sister, Linda Stewart O’Shields, niece Kathy Brown and great niece Kayla Newton. Lib was educated at Grover High School and Montreat College. Except for a few years as Editor and then reporter of the Herald’s sister newpaper, the Cherryville Eagle, Lib worked for the Kings Mountain Herald all her life beginning as a young cub reporter covering police and recorder’s court. Lib and her brother, Gary, the retired Editor of the Herald and the Herald’s longest-serving editor who still writes Herald sports, were at one time the only brother and sister team in North Carolina to co-edit a biweekly newspaper, the Mirror-Herald. Lib retired from the Herald in 1998 (1952-1998) to run for National President of the American Legion Auxiliary and returned to the Herald/Eagle in November 2001, working at the Eagle until mid - 2008 when she returned to the Herald as a reporter working with Editor Emily Weaver. At one time or another she has worked on all the sister papers, The Eagle, the Belmont Banner and the Herald.
Lib advanced to lead two major organizations. In the late 1980’s she was state president of the North Carolina Press Women and in 1999-2000 she was National President of the world’s largest veterans Patriotic service organization of one million members, the American Legion Auxiliary. In 1976 - 1977 she served as state president of the American Legion Auxiliary. She joined the Auxiliary at Kings Mountain Unit 155 in early 1970. She is eligible for membership in the Auxiliary through the service of two brothers, the late retired M/Sgt Herman Stewart, a career veteran who served in the Korean Conflict and Vietnam, and the late Ralph Stewart, who served in the US Navy during the Korean Conflict. Prior to becoming the Auxiliary’s National President Lib worked on numerous committees and chairmanships and also served as National Historian and Southern Division VP and National VP. She was served as both state and national parliamentarian. (2008 - 2009)
During her one-year service as National President, Lib traveled from National headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana to about every state in the US and to some 10 foreign countries where the auxiliary has Units. Because she is a breast cancer survivor, she had the perfect platform as then a 11 year survivor - of audiences to push breast cancer awareness. The Auxiliary raised funds for the Susan K. Koman Reach for the Cure and also gave funds to help local and county patients through NC Blue Cross/Blue Shield who could not afford expensive breast prostheses. (One of the first place newspaper awards she received was her first person story, “Courage to Choose,” of her experiences with breast cancer in 1988. That story appeared in the Auxiliary News, the national magazine of the auxiliary, and in the Herald and was updated over the years for special editions. Additionally, Lib pushed for funds to construct the World War II Memorial and the Auxiliary raised nearly $1 million while the combined groups of the Auxiliary, Legion and Sons of the American Legion raised over $4 million. Lib was invited and attended the dedication of the memorial in the Nation’s capitol in May 2004.
The breast cancer project was fun and members from all over world picked up on it. It was called the Button Chair project modeled after a chair of buttons that was seen all over the country to raise funds for breat cancer. Members made all sizes of chairs, decorated them with colorful buttons which represented a survivor or a loved one who died of the insidious disease. Some members made vest and trimmed them with buttons. Even without asking them to do it, members signed petitions promising to schedule mammograms. Men have cancer too, and there were in the audiences for speech-making. Lib began her speech with “By the grace of God and a mammogram I am a 11 year cancer survivor.”
Even after that exciting and busy year was over, Lib worked in the local Unit of the Auxiliary as Unit President, probably her 7th or 8th time.
In Cleveland County, Lib has been active in March of Dimes, Heart Fund and Relay for Life campaigns. She has served on several mayoral committees over the years, is a former member of the Woman’s Club and was Junior Woman’s club president when that club was formed years ago. She is a direct descendant of Colonel Frederick Hambright at the Battle of Kings Mountain. In Kings Mountain she was honored by the Rotary Club with the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow Award and in Cleveland County with the Distinguished Woman Award. She was honored by N.C. Governor Jim Hunt with the Long Leaf Pine, the highest award given to a civilian in the state. The City of Kings Mountain has honored on several occasions with mayoral proclamations recognizing her “loyalty and service in the community.”
Lib was a charter member of Dixon Presbyterian Church, where she served as Elder, Sunday School teacher and former treasurer. She resided in Cleveland County’s oldest home, the former Wells Cabin built in 1780. Historians say that the wounded from the Oct 7, 1780 Battle of Kings Mountain were brought to the former two-room log structure to be treated as the house became a hospital to treat soldiers. Other honors received by Lib are Special Friends Award in support of Education, Governor’s Award from Kentucky, Legion Honor Bronze Medallion. Lib’s dedication and commitment to her country, state and community is unprecedented and will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her brother: Gary Stewart and wife Mary Jo, Kings Mtn. NC; brother-in-law: David O’Shields, Kings Mountain, NC; nieces and nephews: Beverly Berry and husband Tommy, Jeff Grigg, Robbie Stewart, Lynn Poston and husband Tim, Leigh Anne Newton and husband Steve, Dee Stewart and wife Lori; great nieces and nephews: Alyssa Hannon and husband Triston, Nicholas Stewart, Savannah Poston, Nicole Poston and Alex Stewart.
The funeral service will be held at Dixon Presbyterian Church, Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 2:00 P.M. Rev. Randy Patterson and Rev. Graham Wood, officiating.
Visitation will be held at 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. Saturday, February 22, 2025 at Harris Funeral Home, Kings Mountain, NC.
Interment was held in Mountain Rest Cemetery, Kings Mountain, NC.
Memorials may be made in Lib’s memory to Dixon Presbyterian Church, 602 Dixon School Rd, Kings Mountain, NC 28086 or Department for Tarheel Girl State c/o American Legion Auxiliary Dept of NC P.O. Box 46315 Raleigh, NC 27620 or Black Mountain Home for Children 80 Lake Eden Road Black Mountain, NC 2871.
Guest register is available at:
www.harrisfunerals.com.
Harris Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kings Mountain, NC is in charge of arrangements.
