Bea Stuart

Hamilton " Beatrice (Bea) Stuart passed away Monday October 27, 2014 at the Marcus Daly Hospice. She was born December 10, 1922 in Ramsey, New Jersey

Bea was raised in Ramsey, after graduating from high school in 1941; she attended Newark College of Engineering. Bea then went to work as an engineering technician at Wright Aeornautical during the war. After the war she went to work in the travel industry, eventually joining the American Express Company in New York City. In 1959, she was appointed Manager of VIP travel for American Express. In 1962, she was named one the top ten women in the travel industry. Bea was a specialist in European travel and traveled to Europe numerous times to fulfill job responsibilities. On July 20, 1961 she married John Stuart, of Clare, Michigan. They lived in New York City until 1965 when they moved to Bermuda as John had taken a Management job with the Castle Harbour Hotel and Resort. After spending three years in Bermuda they returned to the States and lived from one end of the country to other in hotel and resort work. In 1987, they moved to Bangkok, Thailand as John was appointed a consultant to the Thailand Tourist Board and Thai Hotel Association by the UN. After returning to the States, they settled in Lexington, Virginia in 1992, where they opened an upscale bed and breakfast called "The Keep", which they operated until 2009.

Bea was an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoyed snow skiing in the States as well as Europe, making a number of trips to Switzerland and Austria. She was a ski instructor in Vermont, where the Stuarts owned a home and small quaint dinner by reservation only restaurant for a number of years. Bea had an extraordinary reputation for her fine cuisine. She also enjoyed grouse and pheasant hunting, with John in the fall of the year.

The Stuarts moved to Hamilton in June 2010 as they desired to be in a nice small town near the mountains, with friendly people.

Bea will be missed greatly by all who knew her. She was known by all for her quick wit, wisdom, integrity and her strong faith in her Lord and Savior.

Bea is survived by her loving and faithful husband of 53 years, John, and her nephew Richard Marcotte of Spring Hill, FL. and two very close friends, Marcus Burnham and Nancy Anderson of Hamilton and many other friends Worldwide.

A "Celebration of Life" for Bea will be held at Daly-Leach Chapel Community Room for family and close friends, at a date to be determined.
The family suggests memorials be made to Marcus Daly Hospice Endowment Fund, 1200 Westwood Dr., Hamilton, MT 59840.