BELGRADE – Vera (Stevens) Stuart, 84, passed away at her home in Belgrade on the 11th of December following a long battle with COPD. Vera was born in Smithfield on May 15, 1939, the daughter of William “Bill” and Mary Stevens.

Vera grew up on the family dairy farm off the East Pond Road and was comfortable around tractors, Belgian draft horses, and Holsteins at an early age. She met her husband John at the Smithfield Roller Rink one summer night in 1955 and, after her graduation from Skowhegan Area High School in 1957, they were married on June 25, 1960. The couple lived in numerous states as John attended Tri-State University in Indiana, where Vera was elected his fraternity’s beauty queen, and they later moved to Hudson, Mich. where John worked as a mechanical engineer in the automotive industry. During their early married days, Vera went to cosmetology school and picked up odd jobs to help put John through college while at the same time raising their young children.

The couple moved back to the family home in Belgrade in 1973 where Vera was a teacher’s aide in the SAD #47 school district. She kept the books for the family’s multiple businesses in Belgrade over the years and gave birth to her “bicentennial surprise” son Chuck in 1976 at the age of 37. She was recognized as a loyal and steadfast family caregiver who provided full time elder homecare and companionship for grandmother Mina Yeaton and Uncle Arnold “Barney” Stuart for many years. Vera was a proud grandmother who attended the births of most of her grandchildren, which often required traveling great distances, and was always willing to lend an encouraging hand to the kids. She enjoyed Maine life, especially the Fryeburg and Skowhegan Fairs, fresh cucumbers and tomatoes from John’s Garden, and bird watching at the feeders just outside her kitchen window. She was a good cook who was especially known for her homemade Blueberry Cake and Swedish meatballs.

Vera is survived by her husband of 63 years John Stuart; son Michael and daughter-in-law Wendy Stuart of Glenburn, daughter Sharon and son-in-law Paul Damren of The Villages, Fla., daughter Suzanne and John Howard of Fairbanks, Alaska, son Chuck of Belgrade; grandson John Stuart, grandson Matthew Stuart and his wife Alyssa, grandson Thomas Damren and his wife Audrey, grandson Daniel Corson, granddaughters Jennifer Corson and her fiancée Nate Redmond, Victoria Damren, Stephanie Damren and her husband Matthew Zach, Stacey Stuart and her fiancée Christopher Libby, Marisa and Sophia Stuart; great grandchildren Wiley, Alana, Carly, Kingslee, Willow, Camdyn, Madelyn, Cameron, and James; brother Alton Stevens of Sidney, sister Betsy (Stevens) Targett of Derry, N.H.; as well as numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time.

In lieu of flowers,

donations may be

made to the:

Belgrade Regional

Health Center

4 Clement Way

Belgrade, ME 04917-4370

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