Richard L. "JR" Stewart, Jr.

Dr. Richard L. “JR” Stewart, Jr., 57, of Shippensburg, departed this life on the morning of Friday, September 25, 2026, at the WellSpan Chambersburg Hospital.

He was born on June 5, 1969, in Indiana, PA, the son of Richard L. and Susan (Wagner) Stewart, Sr, and married Renee M. Fisher on December 19, 1993, in Lancaster, PA.

Dr. Stewart earned his undergraduate and master’s degrees at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his doctorate from The Ohio State University. He began his teaching career in 1998, at Malone College in Canton, OH, until 2002, when he transitioned to Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, where he currently taught in the Biology department.

JR’s personal pursuits, in keeping with his professional pursuits, revolved around the outdoors. He loved photography, hunting and fishing, hiking and camping, gardening and forestry; he was at heart a steward of the environment. He was very handy and loved to fix and build things, undertaking many projects with his father and sons. Travel was also an interest, taking many epic cross-country road-trips with his family to see numerous national parks, and was working on trying to visit most of the state parks in Pennsylvania with Renee. JR had a strong faith in God and loved to talk about and share his faith with others. He attended Spangler Methodist Church when he would be at the Stewart homestead in Cambria County.

In addition to his parents and wife of thirty-three years, Renee, he is survived by his sons, Noah L. Stewart and wife Hannah of Madison, WI and John W. Stewart and wife Elise of Pittsburgh, PA; his sister, Rachel S. Gallo and husband Michael of Nicktown, PA; a niece Samantha Brady and husband James of Nicktown, PA; and several aunts and uncles.

His funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Fogelsanger-Bricker Funeral Home & Crematorium, Inc., Shippensburg. A memorial service will be planned for a future date and time.