R. Douglas Stuart

R. Douglas Stuart passed away peacefully on July 24, 2021 with his wife and family by his side.

He was born September 29,1927 in Mt. Pleasant, Texas.  At age 6, Doug and his younger sister moved to Selma, Alabama.  He was baptized at First Baptist Church on May 5, 1945.  Doug graduated from Albert G. Parish High School in 1946 and entered the United States Army Air Force.   After having spent some of his service in Germany, Doug was honorably discharged in July,1949.

He then enrolled at Auburn University where he graduated with an Industrial Manufacturing degree in 1953.  Two days after graduation, Doug began a 35-year vocational career at Genesco in Nashville.  He held various managerial positions throughout his tenure in middle Tennessee towns such as Lewisburg, Centerville, Hohenwald, Carthage, and Camden.  Doug culminated his Genesco career beginning in 1981 in overseeing a manufacturing facility in Mexico.  Upon his retirement from Genesco in 1988, Doug continued his love for baseball as he worked as a part time scout for the Cincinnati Reds.

Doug married his college sweetheart, Bettye Westbrook, on September 2, 1953.  He always referred to his 67-year marriage to Bettye as the highlight of his life, a marriage and relationship that was made in heaven.  Doug was a devoted, loving, and loyal husband.  He spent countless hours at his two sons’ sporting events, always encouraging them to do their best. In his later years, he loved all his grandchildren and great grandchildren to the very end.   Spending time with his grandchildren brought him great joy.  Other interests included a lifelong love for country music, the Boston Red Sox and Auburn football.

Doug was a gentle and a godly man.   He was faithful to Christ, His church, and to his family his entire life.   Doug “fought the good fight, he finished the race, and he kept the faith.”

He was preceded in death by his parents, William Henry and Gertrude Stuart, his brothers Chester Jones and Rex Jones, and his sister, Frances Brooks.  Doug is survived by his wife, Bettye, sons Doug Stuart Jr. (Marsha), Hank Stuart (Tracie), grandchildren Season Sterling Stuart (Ryan), Reagan Douglas Stuart III, Jordan Taylor Stuart, Emily Anne Stuart, Kathryn Stuart Sielbeck (Bate), William Paul Stuart (Erika).

Pallbearers are Louis Jones, Wendell Melvin, Ron Price, Donnie Doulton, Ken Faust, and Ken Barnes.  The honorary pallbearers are Doug’s three grandsons, Robert Richter, Dr. Jerry Winfield, Dr. Charles Daniels, and the George Thompson Sunday School class.

Doug’s family is deeply grateful for the excellent care that he received from the staff of The Meadows Health Center in Bellevue.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home.

Visitation will be at Harpeth Hills Memorial Gardens on Thursday, July 29, from 9:30 to 11:30 followed by a chapel service at 11:30.  Rusty Trotter of Grassland Baptist Church will be officiating the service.