Flint G. Stuart

Flint Grieves Stuart passed from this world on June 1, 2020, a day before his 87th birthday, following two years of decline but only several days of not being up in his wheelchair and joking with staff at Gaylord Medilodge. Born in 1933 (with his great-grandfather Dr. William Flint attending) he was the son of Gerald and Marion (Grieves) Stuart of Perry, Michigan. He was the second of four brothers, who all played sports at Perry High School, following in the tradition of their father, Gerald. Flint was the proud father of eleven children. A tool and die maker at Oldsmobile, after 20 years he continued there as he and his wife, Katie also brought the Ben Franklin Store to Perry and ran this business successfully for many years. He was a huge education booster, serving as Secretary of the Perry School Board for several years and also Treasurer of the Perry Athletic Boosters. His children remember the many camping vacations through the years, especially trips to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area for week-long adventures. Despite his early hatred of cats, he spent his later years in Frankfort, Michigan living with his niece, Jeryl (Stuart) Colby at Colby’s Orchard House Assisted Living with three cats as his companions, watering the begonias and driving residents to their physical therapy, doctor and hair appointments. When it was time, this car-loving Oldsmobile guy shocked all of us and voluntarily handed over his keys and sold his car.

Flint is survived by children Mike of Madison, WI, John (Irene) of Traverse City, Jerry (Kathy) of Mount Pleasant; Mary (Chuck) Fain of Cheboygan, Virginia (Mike Carlton) Porter of Perry, Sue (Pat) Grennell of Perry, Anne (Joey) Ciotta of Fountain Hills, AZ, Joe (Kristy) of Perry and Amanda Stuart of Grand Rapids. Flint is also survived by 19 grandchildren and 29 greatgrandchildren, in order by parentage; John – Rich LaPratt of W. Columbia, SC, Cheryl LaPratt with children Trevor and Stella Lewis of Kingsley, Emily Stuart of Lahaina, Hawaii; Jerry – Ben (Kari) Stuart with children Luke, Logan and Cassidy of Grand Rapids, Betsy (Keith) Grabinger with children Hudson and Grayson of Boerne, TX, Charlie Stuart with daughters Asa and Edith of Missoula, MT; Mary – Jen (Dean) Murphey with children Connor and Claire of Traverse City, Matt (Katie) Fain with children Calvin and Molly of Traverse City, Mark (Toshiko Shek) Fain of Los Angeles, Julie (Dan) Stoffer with children Emma and Jack of Gaylord; Virginia – Jeff’s (Sarah) daughter, Uli Porter of TN, Katie Porter Geyer with children Morgan, Logan, Jefferson, Doug Porter, Tori (Eric) Porter with children Leto and Johan Weever; Sue – Chad (Tracy) Grennell with children Madison and Kylie of Bath, Elizabeth (Jeremy) Jones with children Keaton and Lucas of Owosso; Anne – Jenna Ciotta (Tyler Schuenemann) of Bennington, VT, Luke Ciotta of Phoenix; Amanda – Alex Encalada-Stuart of Cambridge, MA and Myles Andrews of Grand Rapids; many nieces and nephews; his brothers and sisters-in-law Ted (Patsy) Stuart of Frankfort and Brian (Cherry) Stuart of Lyons. He is predeceased by his former wife, Katie (Keusch) Stuart, sons James and Doug; grandson Jefferson Porter, son-in-law Keith Porter; and brother and sister-in-law Rod and Betty Stuart.

If anyone would care to make a donation in honor of Flint Stuart’s life, the family requests they consider Colby’s Orchard House Assisted Living, 2113 Grace Road, Frankfort, MI 49635, Hospice of Michigan, or Perry Alumni Scholarship Fund, Perry Public Schools, Perry, MI 48872.