Claradene Fisher Stewart
Claradene Fisher Stewart
1949 ~ 2024
Claradene Fisher Stewart, 75, passed away peacefully at Highland Glen Memory Care Center under the watchful care of family in Highland, Utah on July 24, 2024 (Pioneer Day). She will be remembered for her immediate willingness to serve and care for all, her fun-loving and outgoing personality, conversational nature, competitive spirit, and commitment to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. She was a devoted wife, loving mother, and adoring grandmother. Claradene is survived by her husband, Dwight Wayne Stewart, their 5 children and 22 grand-children; Tami (Travis) Ward: Sophia, Ethan, Brynn, Nora, Hannah. Eric (Lacey) Stewart: Tyler, Conner, Dustin, Kylie, Lexie. Ryan (Amy) Stewart: Hailey, Kaleb, Ayla, Lilly. Laura (Brandon) Hightower: Landon, Bradley, Sloan, Emmaline, Capri. Justin (Bailey) Stewart: JD, Beckham, and Bennett.
Born April 18, 1949 to Dale and Edna Fisher, she lived for a time in Idaho and Alaska before spending the majority of her youth in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was 14 months younger than her brother, Fred, followed soon after by Harold, Steven (2011), Douglas (2010), Marilyn (1958), and Carolyn. Being close in age to 4 brothers she became resilient and spirited. She learned to play the accordion and piano and throughout life had a great love of music which she facilitated among her children. Claradene enjoyed regular family trips to Logan, Utah to visit cousins and family. She graduated from Putnam City High School and completed a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Brigham Young University. While in college she met Wayne who became her rock and greatest attachment. They were married and sealed on July 28, 1970 in the Logan, Utah Temple.
They lived for a time in Belmont, CA where she worked as a Pediatric Nurse at Mills Memorial Hospital in San Mateo, CA. They returned to Provo, UT while Wayne completed his law degree and she worked as a Operating / Recovery Room Nurse at Utah Valley Hospital. They moved to Englewood, CO where they soon were overjoyed to welcome Tami following a series of four miscarriages. They were blessed to find a beautiful home where they would raise all of their children close to Cherry Creek Reservoir. Many hours were spent running, biking, and boating in the state park. This outdoor love extended to annual winter ski and Lake Powell trips, that the family still enjoys, where Claradene regularly battled her slalom ski. She enjoyed lifelong friendships among neighbors and members of the Greenwood Village Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Among her many volunteer church callings she served for 30 years in the Boy Scouts program, earning the Silver Beaver award, Order of the Arrow, and Wood Badge beads, while assisting in countless camps and merit-badge activities for the youth. She frequently opened her home for extended periods of time to friends, family, and full-time missionaries, and regularly offered a seat at her Sunday dinner table. Whenever there was a need, Claradene was always willing to quickly respond and come to the aide.
At 50 years of age, she put together a bucket list of 50 new things she wanted to try, some of which included the New Year’s Polar Plunge in Boulder, CO and participating in the Ms. Senior Colorado Pageant. Health and fitness were a regular focus for Claradene and Wayne so it was in this era that they began running. In the 20 years to follow, Claradene would complete 34 marathons, including 6 Boston Marathons, dozens of half-marathons, and smaller distance races where she often won her age division. As her children grew, Claradene began working outside the home again starting as a school nurse at Rolling Hills Elementary, then Thunder Ridge Middle School, followed later by being a private home health nurse, court appointed guardian, piano teacher, and neighborhood nanny.
Her philosophy of life at age 60 was “To explore new challenges within the framework of my values and see clearly life’s possibilities. I run up hills with my eyes wide open so I can run down many hills and see new vistas. I want to live with clarity so I will never stop learning, loving and serving others.”
Claradene and Wayne worked as volunteers in the Denver LDS Temple for 11 years. She spent many hours working on genealogy and provided indexing services so others could more easily access their family history documents digitally. In 2018, Claradene and Wayne sold their home to serve a senior couple mission in Lyon, France where Claradene assisted as the mission nurse. In 2021, they again departed for an 18 month mission to St. Louis, Missouri. We find it fitting that Claradene passed on Pioneer Day as she truly emulated her ancestors’ heritage of lifelong faith and unwavering dedication to Jesus Christ.
Over the past decade, though undiagnosed until 2022, Claradene experienced progressive mental and physical decline caused by dementia. It was very difficult for her family to lose their fun-loving, vibrant, active, and chatty matriarch in this way. We are strengthened in our knowledge that we will see her again, restored to perfect form, following the second coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to caretakers at Highland Glen and Suncrest Hospice for the wonderful care they provided us all over the past year.
Please see more funeral event info, guest book, and memoirs at https://ourhightowerfamily.com/memorials
EVENTS
Funeral Visitation ~
Monday, July 29, 2024 ~ 9:00-9:45 AM
Canyon View Chapel, located at 10494 North 4720 West, Highland, Utah
Funeral ~
Monday, July 29, 2024 ~ 10:00 AM
Canyon View Chapel, located at 10494 North 4720 West, Highland, Utah
Live broadcast with saved recording available here: https://tinyurl.com/ClaradeneStewart
Interment ~
Monday, July 29, 2024 ~ 12:00 PM
Highland City Cemetery, located at 6200 West 11000 North, Highland, Utah