David Stewart, the last Alamo director under the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, considered his role there to be a dream job.
Stewart, an Army veteran and fifth-generation Texan, died early Tuesday at his home in Universal City. His exposure in the Vietnam War to the defoliant Agent Orange caused him to later develop Parkinson’s, and then cancer, which ultimately claimed his life, said his son, Stephen Stewart.
Although he had a 24-year Army career, college degrees and numerous awards for community involvement, Stewart relished memories of his time as Alamo director from 2002 to 2009, including a 2005 renovation of the Long Barrack Museum.
“It kind of defined the rest of his life,” said Stephen Stewart. “He was very proud to be the Texan chosen to be the caretaker of the Shrine of Texas Liberty.”
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Born on Nov. 20, 1938, in San Antonio, Stewart grew up in and around Bay City. He was awarded a Bronze Star in the Army and retired as a lieutenant colonel, then later became the editor of two local magazines in El Paso and principal at a Catholic school.
Stewart called it a “dream come true” when he was hired as Alamo director, having recently served as director of teacher recruitment and federal programs for the Archdiocese of San Antonio, the Express-News reported in 2002. But he acknowledged the challenges faced by the DRT in preserving the state-owned historic site, with gift shop revenue to cover operational expenses, but little financial backing from the state for maintenance.
Since 2011, the Alamo has been in the custody of the Texas General Land Office, which has secured $5 million from the Legislature for emergency upgrades, and another $100 million for a public-private makeover of Alamo Plaza. The grounds are closed today because of the coronavirus, and much of the plaza is closed for construction.
One of the tales Stewart shared with his family involved a meeting with rock star Ozzy Osbourne, who came to apologize for defiling the Cenotaph in 1982, when he was charged with public intoxication. Osbourne was banned from performing at city venues, but played at Bexar County’s Freeman Coliseum in 1992, and donated $10,000 to the DRT. He later returned numerous times to apologize.
Stewart told family members Osbourne came by one day to extend an olive branch.
“He said Ozzy came into his office to apologize and immediately asked to go to the restroom. Then he came out and did his apology,” Stephen Steward recalled. “One of my brothers asked him what he thought about meeting Ozzy. And he said, ‘Well, I didn’t like him before and now I like him even less.’”
In 2009, Stewart, then 70, retired as Alamo director.
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Stewart’s legacy also extended to his support of organizations such as the American Cancer Society, Armed Services YMCA and Boy Scouts of America.
“He always put the community before his own personal needs, and he never complained about it,” his son said.
Stewart also is survived by his wife, Marilyn Stewart; sons, Patrick and Christopher Stewart; daughter, Mary Stewart; a sister, Mary Cecile Crawford; eight grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A visitation will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 18 at Porter Loring North, with a rosary at 6:30 p.m. A funeral is set for 11 a.m. Aug. 19 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Selma, followed by a private burial at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
Scott Huddleston covers Bexar County government and the Alamo for the San Antonio Express-News. To read more from Scott, become a subscriber. [email protected] | Twitter: @shuddlestonSA
Scott Huddleston is a veteran staff writer at the San Antonio Express-News covering Bexar County Commissioners Court and county government.
He has been a reporter at the Express-News since 1985, covering a variety of issues, including public safety, flooding, transportation, military and veterans affairs, history and local government.
Huddleston covered the final construction phase of the SBC Center — now AT&T Center, where the Spurs play — in 2002, and wrote “Then&Now,” a weekly historical feature, for the Sunday Metro section from 2001-2006.