D.M. Cot Stuart

D.M. “Cot” Stuart, age 96, took the next step in his journey on Monday, May 27, 2024.  Cot was born January 2, 1928, to Orlando Boardman and Dorothy Olga Schwink in Stuart, Nebraska. He attended country school for 8 years and started his freshman year of high school in Stuart while finishing the year in Rawlins, Wyoming. He then moved to Page, Nebraska with his folks and finished high school in 1946.  After high school he went into the grocery business with his dad and older brother, Jack, in Plainview, Nebraska; however, the store burned down the following spring. The 2 brothers liked the meat business so their friend, Rudy Fischer, a sausage maker from the old country, and Jack started F & S Sausage Company and Cot worked for them until he went into the Air Force in September 1950. After basic training and air police school, Cot was sent to Ramey A.F.B. in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. In 1951 he transferred to the Medical Corp as a veterinarian tech. While on leave in December he married his sweetheart Euvah Buckley, a Cozad native. She joined him in Puerto Rico for a 2-year tour of duty, they then moved to MacDill A.F.B in Tampa, Florida for a new assignment and it was there that he received an honorable discharge. Cot became a co-owner in F & S soon after their return and he and Euvah spent the rest of their lives together in Cozad where they raised their son and daughter. Cot enjoyed rough carpentry and was always building something – a doghouse, a workshop, squirrel feeders, enclosing the patio, you name it – and in his 60’s he helped his nephew, Mike Schmidt, restore mobile homes in Kearney. He enjoyed selling promotional advertising along with working for Midwest Transportation Services for 20 years before retiring at the age of 90. Both jobs involved 2 things he enjoyed – driving and talking to people. He loved his community and was very active serving as a trustee for the Presbyterian Church, a member of the I.O.O.F. Lodge, a charter member of the Cozad Elks Lodge, a member of the board of directors for the Cozad Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Cozad City Council, and a member and president of the Nebraska Association of Meat Processors. In his free time, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, spending time with family, and telling stories with a chuckle. Cot is survived by his son David Marquet (Ket) Stuart, daughter Ellie Marie Wakefield, son-in-law Dan Wakefield, grandson James Stuart Wakefield, and many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his loving wife of 69½ years, Euvah, his beloved black lab, Duke, his parents, his sisters Varnael (Roger) Schmidt, Mildred (Jack) King, Veda (Richard) Knapp, and Vera (Ervin) Kloppenborg, and brother Jack (Margaret) Stuart.  

Memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian Church in Cozad. Services will be Monday, June 3, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Jill Boyd officiating. Visitation will be at the church from 1:00 p.m. until service time. Burial with military honors will follow at Cozad Cemetery. Berryman Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.