Hope Elsie Stewart
Born on November 28, 1933 in Kingston, JamaicaDeparted October 28, 2023 in Melbourne, Florida
Hope Elsie Stewart of Melbourne passed away peacefully at 7:12 p.m. on Saturday, October 28, 2023, surrounded by family and friends. She was born Hope McLaren on November 28, 1933, in Kingston, Jamaica to Uriah and Eulalee McLaren. Raised in St. Thomas Parish, she attended Wolmer’s High School for Girls, which is the second oldest high school in the Caribbean. She immigrated to New York City to attend school at New York University where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemistry.
After graduating from NYU, Hope was employed at highly respected companies including Merck Sharp & Dohme Pharmaceutical, Johnson & Johnson, and Booz Allen.
In addition to being a productive career professional, Hope was a devoted wife and mother. She met Edgar A. Stewart in New York City. They were married on her birthday in 1964 and remained happily married until his death in 2008. Hope and Edgar started their family in New York City, but eventually settled in New Jersey to raise their sons, Edgar Jr. and Colin.
After many vacations to Brevard County, Hope and Edgar retired to the area in 1998—moving first to Palm Bay and then to Malabar. When Edgar took sick, Hope became an extremely devoted and diligent caregiver. While balancing self-care, spiritual, and social activities, she worked tirelessly to ensure the best care for him at home and in his nursing home facility until his death in December 2008.
Hope kept engaged with the social and cultural life in and around Malabar. She volunteered with the Democratic Women’s Club of Palm Bay as well as the Brevard Caribbean American Sports & Cultural Association. She regularly took season tickets at the Melbourne Civic Theatre and was a recognizable presence at their holiday show.
In 2017, she moved to The Fountains, a senior community in Melbourne, and became an active member of the population: she took up art; learned bridge, cribbage and mahjong; and continued her passion for Scrabble—leveraging a broad knowledge of two- and three-letter words to engage in fierce competition.
The family would like to thank Hope’s home health aides Lindell, Heralda, and Sonia and her VITAS Healthcare Hospice team for their compassionate care and support. Thanks are also extended to the members of Unity of Melbourne Ministries for their love, spiritual guidance, and support.
Hope had two grandchildren, Olivia and Roman, and she enjoyed visiting and spending time with them every chance she got. Also in her retirement years, she enjoyed traveling to New York, Canada, Trinidad, and her beloved Jamaica to create cherished memories with family and friends.
In addition to her husband, Hope was preceded in death by her sister Mavis Hume, her brothers Lyndon, Austen, Halcott, and Neil, and her parents Uriah and Eulalee McLaren.
Hope is survived by her children Dr. Edgar Stewart Jr., and Colin Stewart, her daughter-in-law Helen Veske, her grandchildren Olivia and Roman, her sisters-in-law Leonie McLaren and Agnes Grant, several nieces and nephews, and many longtime family friends in the Northeast as well as new friends in Brevard County.
There will be a private family memorial service on December 2, 2023. Those wishing to view the memorial service can do so here: Hope Stewart Memorial Service 12/2/2023 (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89936086296?pwd=NVdzV2ROd3JhRGlveHFxZDVaT25vUT09).
There will be a Celebration of Life service at Unity of Melbourne-Sanctuary, 2190 Sarno Road, Melbourne, FL 32935 on December 3, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. For those unable to attend the Celebration of Life will be streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/@unityofmelbournefl.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made “in memory of Hope Stewart” to Wolmer’s via the “Donate – Other” page at the Wolmer’s Alumni Association, South Florida Chapter (wolmersouthfla.org) or to the Melbourne Civic Theatre at mymct.org or 321-723-6935.