In his 15 years as a Columbus city councilman, Fred Stewart rarely claimed the spotlight. He was content to leave most of the debating to others, instead preferring a low-key approach.
Soft-spoken and unfailingly polite, he rarely made headlines and never made enemies.
Stewart died Tuesday at age 84, but those who knew the lifelong Columbus resident best say he was a far different man outside council chambers.
“Oh, yeah,” said former Columbus mayor Robert Smith. “It was night and day with Mr. Stewart. He was always pretty quiet during council meetings, but away from there, he was a humorous man. He used to have a pool hall and then later, he opened a day care right across the street from Hunt High School. You would go by the day care and he was always there, talking with his constituents, telling stories. You would stop by there and he’d keep you laughing the whole time.”
Smith worked alongside Stewart on the city council, first as a fellow councilmember and vice-mayor, then as mayor from 2007 until 2013, when Stewart lost his seat on the council by 24 votes in a runoff with Marty Turner. Smith continued to serve as mayor until 2021.
Stewart had been on the council since 1998 when he won a special election.
Stewart’s reaction to losing the close race in 2013 was typical of his 15 years of service. He responded to the loss quietly and gracefully when the narrow outcome had been decided.
“It’s been a good campaign between both of us, and I’m glad it’s over with,” Stewart said moments after the outcome had been announced. “It was a good, clean campaign … and I wish (Turner) the best.”
Charlie Newell was serving his first of two terms on the city council when Stewart was seated in 1998, but the two men had already built a relationship by then.
“Mr. Fred was a teacher at Lee High when I was principal there in the early ‘70s,” Newell said. “He was a great fit because he was such a big-hearted man, Everybody loved Mr. Fred. He was a fine man.”
Smith’s relationship with Stewart goes back even farther than Newell’s. The football-obsessed Smith first became aware of Stewart when Stewart was a stand-out football player at Hunt High School.
Smith, who would become a football legend at Lee High, returned to his alma mater after college, taking a job as a teacher and football coach where he was reunited with Stewart.
When the subject of his playing days came around, Stewart — true to his nature — often deflected praise with stories cloaked in humor.
“He was just a humble, friendly man,” Smith said.
A man of compassion
Stewart’s career was a reflection of his compassion. He taught special education at Hunt, then Lee High, then opened the day care.
“I thought an awful lot of Fred and his family,” Newell said. “He and his wife raised five girls and they’re all good people, too. This is a real loss for the community.”
Bill Gavin, who served on the city council from 2009-21, said that he and Stewart were sometimes on opposite sides of issues, but Stewart was always thoughtful and respectful in disagreements over policy.
“I got along well with Mr. Fred,” Gavin said. “We didn’t necessarily agree on things all the time, but he was always someone you could have a conversation with. He was always willing to listen. I always appreciated his point of view and his respect for me, even when we didn’t agree, and I certainly tried to show that respect to him, too, because he deserved it.”
Although he was generally considered an ally of Smith on the city council, the former mayor said Stewart was his own man and firm in his convictions.
“He was mild-mannered, cordial, very professional and he was a team player,” Smith said. “But he stayed true to his convictions and what he thought was right.”
Smith said that while Stewart was an unapologetic advocate for Ward 4, his commitment went beyond ward lines.
“He was passionate about the people of Ward 4, but he also wanted what was best for the whole city,” Smith said.
A few days before Stewart died, Newell and his wife paid a visit to his old friend and colleague.
“We were told he didn’t have much time left, only three or four days, they said,” Newell said. “I knew I wanted to see him one last time. We were told he was bedridden and I didn’t know what he would be like.”
What Newell found was not the demure city council member but the old friend whose warmth belied his suffering.
“He had a smile on his face like he always did,” Newell said. “Right to the end, he loved everybody and everything. That’s just who he was.”
Slim Smith is a columnist and feature writer for The Dispatch. His email address is [email protected].
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