Jay Patrick Stewart

Jay Patrick Stewart, 54, of Hamlet, died Wednesday, March 30, 2011, at home.

He was born Dec. 20, 1956, in Quincy, Ill., to Edward Maurice and Catherine Louise (Weech) Stewart. His parents preceded him in death.

He was raised in La Grande.

From 1975 to 1978, he attended Western Oregon State College.

On July 23, 1977, he married Laura Cobb Stewart in Portland. She survives, residing in Hamlet.

Mr. Stewart was a studio potter and sculptor. He owned House of the Potter Inc. in Cannon Beach.

He was a member of the Cannon Beach Community Presbyterian Church and the Lower Columbia Youth Soccer Association, and was a volunteer firefighter with the Hamlet Rural Fire Department.

Family members said he was a mixed-media artist and an avid runner, hiker, and backpacker. He was a devoted family man known for being a good friend, a man of faith and a great conversationalist. He encouraged children and was also a coach.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Jesse Stewart and Rebecca Kockler of Charlottesville, Va.; three daughters, Rebecca Stewart-Johnson and her husband, Chris Johnson, of Tacoma, Wash., Margaret Stewart of Cannon Beach and Alice Stewart of Phoenix, Ariz.; four sisters, Jeanne Stewart of Cannon Beach, Jan Stewart of Seaside, Joyce Lewis and her husband, Jim, of Hailey, Idaho, and Jacqueline Stewart and her husband, Pete Thomas, of Woodside, Calif.; three brothers and sisters-in-law, Joseph and Patty Stewart of Spokane, Wash., Jerry and Karen Stewart of Salem and John and Carolyn Stewart of Papua, New Guinea; and 18 nieces and nephews.

A memorial will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 9, at Cannon Beach Community Presbyterian Church, 132 Washington St. in Cannon Beach. A reception will follow.,

Memorial contributions may be made to PEO Chapter FB, in careof Sue Petersen, P.O. Box 2835, Gearhart, OR 97138 or the Hamlet Rural Fire Department, in care of Bill Boone, 37564 Highway 26, Seaside, Oregon 97138.

Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary in Astoria is in charge of the arrangements. An online guest book can be signed at www.caldwellsmortuary.com