Stuart, E.R. "Jeb"

E. R. “Jeb” Stuart enjoyed a long life of 97 years on this earth, leaving us on November 16^th, 2013. He was born in New York, NY on May 5^th, 1916; he grew up near the ocean and always loved it, returning often on family vacations. His given name is Emil Robert Stuart, but he never wanted to be called Emil after the neighborhood children made fun and called him ‘Oatmeal’ instead. His brothers gave him the nickname Jeb after Confederate General James Ewell Brown (J.E.B.) Stuart.

He served in the Army during World War Two, initially registered as a Conscientious Objector, but later entering battle once he saw the realities of war and the atrocities being committed against innocent people. He and his fellow soldiers helped to hide a Jewish family attempting escape from the Nazis.

He majored in English at Columbia University in New York. He was among the writers of the New York Public Library’s Allen Room working with Betty Friedan, Sydney Offit, Charles Dougherty and other notable writers of the day. He spent time at Yaddo artist’s colony in Saratoga Springs and at the McDowell Colony in New Hampshire. He frequented the Cedar Tavern in the Village where he once met artist Jackson Pollack and went off on a drive to the country.  In 1945, he met Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas in Paris. He published a novel, The Objector in 1950, as well as several short stories and plays. His short story, The Door, was adapted for television and appeared on NBC in 1949. In the late ’50’s he was in California at the Huntington Hartford Foundation. He had the privilege of getting to know Marilyn Monroe and Edward G Robinson.

He met his wife, Jane through friends in 1958. They were married on June 4^th, 1960 in Bedford Hills, NY. They enjoyed travelling together throughout Europe in the early days of their marriage. They had one daughter, Jennifer in 1965 and came to Dallas (Jane’s home town) in 1971. In Dallas, he did freelance writing and public relations work, eventually running his own PR firm, E.R. Stuart & Associates. His clients included notable architects and engineers as well as covering the construction of DFW Airport in the early 1970’s.

His mother was Hungarian and he grew up speaking the language. In addition, he knew how to order a cup of black coffee in the languages of every country he had visited.

A great lover of knowledge, he read the NY Times, Dallas Morning News and Financial Times daily before losing his sight to Glaucoma about a year and a half ago. He listened to NPR news and WRR classical radio regularly. Friday evenings were reserved for the marathon of PBS news programs he loved to watch. He enjoyed going to the opera in both New York and in Dallas. He and Jane held season tickets to the symphony for years. He enjoyed good food and wine. Stubborn to the end, he refused to eat the food at the nursing home in his final weeks.

He is preceded in death by his parents Blanche Reiss Stuart and Martin Stuart, twin sister Stella Stuart Raphael and brothers Ed and Fred Stuart. He is survived by his wife of 53 years Jane Sullivan Stuart, daughter Jennifer Stuart, 14 year old granddaughter Claire Stuart Meiner and niece Barbara Stuart who lives in California. A memorial service will be held at 4:00 PM on Thursday, November 21^st at First Unitarian Church of Dallas.