Jim Stewart, former Milton and Cabell Midland high school boys basketball coach, died Wednesday.
He was 82.
Stewart was the first boys basketball coach at Cabell Midland, which consolidated with Milton and Barboursville in 1994. He led the Knights to a state championship in 2002.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m so sad to hear this,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Cabell Midland golf coach Matt Stead said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œWeÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re praying for the family.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Brad Carter was one of StewartÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s former players.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI loved playing for coach Stewart,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Carter said.
Spring Valley boys basketball coach Rick Chaffin remembered Stewart fondly.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI always respected coach Stewart for how he approached each game, each opponent and his teamsÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Chaffin said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHe was a great coach.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Stewart, a native of Jesse, West Virginia, succumbed to kidney disease. He was a 1961 graduate of Oceana High School, where he earned first team all-state honors in basketball. He went on to play at Concord College where he was named team captain as a senior and graduated in 1966.
Stewart began his coaching career in 1969 at Barboursville High School and was an assistant to Bill Dan Ray on the Pirates 1975 Class AAA state championship team. Stewart also was the head golf coach at Barboursville.
Stewart became head boys basketball at Milton in 1978 and remained there through 1994 before taking over at Cabell Midland, where he stayed until retiring in 2003. He guided the Knights to the state tournament in 1997, 2001 and 2002. The 2002 team won the title behind the play of 6-foot-10 center Mark Patton, who went on to play at Marshall University.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSome of my greatest basketball memories were with Jim,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Patton said of Stewart.
Stewart enjoyed gardening, hunting and golfing. On the golf course, he frequently shot lower than his age and won the Esquire club championship in 1991. He made two holes in one, both at the Sleepy Hollow Golf Club in Hurricane, West Virginia.
Jim is survived by his wife Elizabeth ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSueÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Stewart. They were married 49 years.
StewartÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s viewing/wake will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Wallace Funeral Home in Barboursville. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Wallace, with graveside burial immediately after at White Chapel Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Kidney Foundation or local youth sports teams or organizations.
