Kosciusko native Dr. Bob Stewart never participated in the Big Red Band, but two of his siblings did. He comes from a family with a deep love of music. Recently, the 1984 KHS graduate purchased an honored chair in memory of his stepmother, the late Inez Stewart, who loved the arts and participated in several local theatre performances.
Stewart, the youngest of four, said he remembers many nights spent at the old auditorium either watching Mrs. Inez perform in theatre productions or his siblings in piano or band concerts. Stewart’s brother Charles and sister Claudia were members of the Big Red Band, and his sister Beth also performed in many piano recitals in the former auditorium.
“She (Mrs. Inez) was very musical and loved the arts. She had been in some little theatre plays there and musicals,” said Stewart. “My sisters were involved in piano. We had piano recitals there and band concerts, and there are just a lot of attachments over the years.”
Stewart said he initially became aware of the KFEE’s fundraising efforts to renovate the Skipworth Auditorium when he received an invitation to a fundraising event. Following his stepmother’s passing in May, a reception was held in her honor at First United Methodist Church, the church Stewart grew up in and where Mrs. Inez used to sing.
“Dr. Alford came by and actually had mentioned the foundation. At the time, it wasn't on my radar,” said Stewart. “But after it got closer to the end of the year, thinking about that, I wanted to do that and make a donation. So, I read about donating a chair online.”
From there, Stewart contacted Alford and made it happen.
Stewart said he believes Kosciusko is a community that has supported the arts for a long time, and he said the renovated Skipworth Center for Performing Arts will be a strong asset in keeping those efforts alive.
“Kosciusko, for the size town that it is, has always had an appreciation for (the arts). They've had a core group of people who've supported that over the decades, and I think this just adds to that,” said Stewart. “To have a center for those types of performances, I think that would really stand out and draw in people from town and out-of-town most likely. I just think it will be a great asset to the community.”
Stewart has lived in Tupelo for the last 18 years, where he works as a pulmonologist in a local clinic and hospital intensive care unit. He said being able to purchase a chair in his stepmother’s honor and donating to overall project has been a fitting way to honor her memory and her love for music and the arts.
“She always spoke of her attachment to music and to the arts,” said Stewart. “Just to be able to honor her with that seemed like a very fitting opportunity, and I certainly would encourage others to do the same.”
