Rose Bluga Stewart died December 14, 2023 at the home of her daughter in West Jordan, Utah.
Rose was born November 19, 1927 in Detroit, Michigan to Peter Bluga and Silvia Todor Bluga. She married Garnet W. Stewart Sr. on December 1, 1945 in Clio, Michigan.
Rose was the second child born in her family. She had an older sister, Flora and two younger brothers, Johnny and Peter. She had a very happy childhood and loved her family very much. She spent her childhood in Detroit, Michigan. Her parents were both from Romania and wanted their children to learn their language and about that culture so Rose and her sister went to Romanian school on Saturdays. Rose and her sister were also in a Romanian dance group.
She went to Pershing High School in Detroit. She liked going to school and visiting with her friends there. In the Senior section of the yearbook it said, Rose Bluga – “Soul deep eyes of darkest night.”
When she was 18 years old, Rose and her sister, Flora went to a party in their neighborhood where she met Garnet Stewart. He was home on leave from the Navy and visiting his brother Gordon. Three weeks later, they were married on December 1, 1945 by Garnet’s uncle, Benjamin McGeachy. He was an Elder in the RLDS church. It was a small ceremony. They drove to his uncle’s house with Gordon and Rose’s sister Flora as their witnesses.
Garnet was serving in the Navy when he and Rose married. Rose spent the next seventeen years as a Navy wife living on three continents and in seven states. When her husband received an over seas assignment, Rose usually followed on a Navy ship traveling in that direction. Some of the places she lived were Panama and French Morocco.
While following her husband to different assignments with the Navy she had 5 children. They were born in different states, except the second and last child. But they were born years apart when the family was transferred back to a previous area.
While living in Cherry Point, North Carolina Garnet said that he wanted to attend a branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He had been raised around RLDS members but hadn’t joined that church. They were taught by some senior missionaries and were baptized on a Saturday, went to church on Sunday and were transferred to Sanford, Florida on Monday. They both remained faithful and raised their family with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Garnet retired from the Navy in 1963 and he and Rose moved to Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, where he attended Central Michigan University. After he graduated, they moved to AuGres, Michigan and then to Roscommon, Michigan. When he retired, he and Rose moved to Provo, Utah to be closer to family. After that they moved to Brigham City, and then Salem, Utah.
Garnet passed away in April of 2006. Rose lived in Salem for another 11 years and then moved to Taylorsville. She was quick to tell people that she has moved 47 times in her life. The last place she lived was at Summit Vista in Taylorsville. She really enjoyed that and the friends she made there.
Rose was an amazing stay at home Mom. She took care of her family very well. She was a wonderful cook. She would say that she could not bake cakes but was especially good at baking pies. Her chocolate pie is legendary. All her dinners were delicious. Her house was always immaculate. And she was a classy dresser. Our Mom could talk to anyone. She would start up conversations with random strangers in the grocery store line. I used to be embarrassed by that, now I admired that quality.
Rose was always cheerful. No matter what she was going through, she never let it get her down. She would say things like, “I have a good life, I always have.” “I love life”. Even when she wasn’t feeling well, she said “But I’m fine, not in any pain.” And she was always so excited to see a visitor. She would clap her hands and smile a great big smile.
Rose is survived by her children, Garnet Jr, Peter (Terri) Stewart, Rosanna (Daryl) Frandsen, Rebecca (Keith) Papenfuss, Jebb (Lisa) Stewart, a sister Flora Jones and a brother Johnny Bluga, and 27 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Garnet, Sr., her parents, her brother Peter and a granddaughter, Kelly Stewart Papst.
Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 27 at 11:00 at Larkin Mortuary, 3688 W 12600 S, Riverton. A viewing will be held from 10:00 to 10:45 prior to the service. Burial will be at the Utah Veterans Cemetery and Memorial Park in Bluffdale, Utah.
Funeral services will be streamed via Zoom for those wishing to attend virtually. To watch the services, please click the “Watch Services” link above.