Obituary - Tony Lee Stewart
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Tony Lee Stewart, 71, of Royston, Georgia passed away on Sunday May 10, 2026, at his home. He was laid to rest at 1pm on May 14, 2026, at the Franklin Springs Baptist Church Cemetery in
Franklin Springs, Georgia.
Tony Stewart was born in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, on May 3, 1955. He was the son of the late George Neal “Tom” Stewart and Rosy May (Agnew) Stewart and was the youngest of five children.
In addition to his parents, Tony was preceded in death by his sisters, Connie Stewart and Susan Grubb.
Tony was an avid fisherman, loyal friend, gifted stock dog trainer, talented welder, and a man whose adventurous spirit led him to many places while building lasting relationships with people from all walks of life.
Tony attended Weskan Schools in Weskan, Kansas, from Kindergarten through 12th grade. He was a gifted athlete who participated in football, basketball, and track. Following graduation, Tony attended Fort Hays State University for a short time before deciding that entering the workforce was a better fit for him and his adventurous spirit.
In his younger years, Tony was a bit of a wanderer. He worked on grain elevators, garage doors of all kinds, spent time in the oil fields, and traveled extensively.
In 1976, he married his high school sweetheart, Jean (Sexson) Kreger. Together they welcomed daughter Jasmine Rae in 1977, followed just ten short months later by daughter Trista Marie in 1978. Their son, Dylan John, completed the family in 1983.
Tony later attended Northwest Kansas Area Vocational-Technical School in Goodland, Kansas, where he proudly earned his welding degree in 1981 and opened Stewart Welding & Steel in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. He continued his education studying Farm & Diesel Mechanics from 1984–1985.
Tony enjoyed competing in local pool and dart leagues and became exceptionally talented at
darts. His success led him to competitions in Leavenworth, Kansas, where he and Jean placed 1st in Mixed Doubles and Tony earned 2nd place in Pro Singles, all the way to Nationals in
Chicago, Illinois, in 1987. There, he proudly represented his community and passion for the sport, placing 19th in the nation.
Tony purchased his first stock dog to compete with south of Lamar, Colorado. Her name was
Brite and then followed Bess, Jack, Cole, and many more years of great dogs. He was passionate about stock dog trialing and competed successfully across the United States, forming many lifelong friendships along the way. One fond memory is a picture of him and Jean moving a herd of sheep in downtown Denver for the annual Denver Stock Show livestock parade where he also competed for many years.
In 2002, Tony’s adventurous path led him to Colorado’s Front Range. After moving to various places and continuing to compete in stock dog trials, he met the love of his life, Norma Bennett. Tony later moved to Georgia, and the two were married on December 1, 2006.
Tony is survived by his wife, Norma Bennett Stewart of Royston, Georgia; brother John (Jacklyn) Stewart of Kensington, Kansas; sister Emma Ross of Fayetteville, Georgia; daughter Jasmine Shea of Arapahoe, Colorado; daughter Trista (Chad) Tuttle of Galatea, Colorado; and son Dylan (Elizabeth) Stewart of Lenexa, Kansas.
He is also survived by his grandchildren: Teal (Tyler) Howard, Austin Stewart, Irelynd Shea, Ethan Shea, Deztiny Shea, Iley (Ariana) Tuttle, Landri Tuttle, Judah Isabel-Maria Nicolasa, Shawn
Stewart, Duncan Stewart, Alexander Stewart, and Xavier Stewart; great-granddaughter Aisley Tuttle; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends whose lives were touched by his kindness, humor, and adventurous spirit.
His laugh, smile, and quick wit will forever be remembered by all who knew and loved him. Rest in peace, Dad.
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