Obituary for Stuart Rosenbaum
Stuart Evan Rosenbaum, 77, passed away unexpectedly and peacefully at his home in Hewitt, TX, on Monday, December 14, 2020. A virtual service, hosted by Lake Shore Baptist Church, will give the family and friends that loved him dearly a chance to share their memories with the community. The service is scheduled at 3 p.m., January 10, 2021. Please email Lake Shore Baptist Church: attend@lsbcwaco.org for an invitation and Zoom link to attend. Stuart’s family invites all of his friends to join in celebrating his life with them.
Stuart was born on August 15, 1943, in Indianapolis, Indiana, along with his twin brother, Stephen. He spent many summers as a boy with his grandparents on their farm in Indiana. These were transformative experiences for him. He loved the satisfaction of accomplishing hard work together; the supportive community; and relaxing on a blanket in the yard in the evening, enjoying a cola with his grandfather.
In 1966, Stuart married Jeanie Watson in Wichita Falls, TX, remaining married until 1980 and having two children, Melissa and Michael. In 1992, he married Julie Christian in Waco, TX, remaining married until 2011 and having two children, Sarah and David.
Stuart received his BA in Philosophy and English from Baylor University in 1965. After studying theology at Harvard Divinity School in 1965, he was drawn to further study of philosophy. He earned his MA in Philosophy from the University of Nebraska in 1968, followed by his PhD in Philosophy from Brown University in 1972.
Stuart taught for nearly 40 years at Baylor, focusing on American philosophy, especially the work of John Dewey and William James. For many years, he was Director of Baylor's graduate program in philosophy, and he was the key figure in designing its PhD program. Stuart served multiple terms on the Faculty Senate and twice earned Baylor’s Outstanding Faculty Member Award. He also led Baylor’s summer program at Oxford for a number of years. He touched countless lives through his teaching. Stuart officially retired from the Department of Philosophy in 2019, but he continued to write and correspond with professional colleagues about the ideas in his scholarly writing. He was enormously productive during his later years, recently writing three books: Pragmatism and the Reflective Life (2009); Recovering Integrity: Moral Thought in American Pragmatism (2015); and Race, Justice, and American Intellectual Traditions (2018).
He was preceded in death by parents, Earl and Dorothy Rosenbaum. He is survived by daughter, Melissa; son, Michael and spouse, Sarah; daughter, Sarah; son, David; grandchildren, Caleb, Carson, Evan, and Guthrie; and brother, Stephen and spouse, Joan.
Stuart was deeply devoted to his children and grandchildren, and they celebrate his influence on their lives. He inspired in them a love of nature and a recognition of spirit in all forms. His presence fostered an appreciation of language, poetry, and music and encouraged curiosity, inquiry, and pursuit of knowledge. Stuart’s gentle, patient, and generous nature -- and, most of all, his unconditional love -- gave them a strong foundation to follow their passions and thrive as unique individuals. He provided them with a deep appreciation of the human condition and the spiritual value of community.
Stuart’s words will continue to support, guide, and inspire us:
“Breathe Deep and Seek Peace.” “It’s Wonderful.”
The family would like to establish an endowed memorial fund in Stuart’s name, at Baylor. If you would like to contribute to this fund, more information will be available at the time of the virtual memorial service.
Additionally, gifts may be made in Stuart’s honor to The LivLyme Foundation (www.livlymefoundation.org) and to the Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org).
Stuart was born on August 15, 1943, in Indianapolis, Indiana, along with his twin brother, Stephen. He spent many summers as a boy with his grandparents on their farm in Indiana. These were transformative experiences for him. He loved the satisfaction of accomplishing hard work together; the supportive community; and relaxing on a blanket in the yard in the evening, enjoying a cola with his grandfather.
In 1966, Stuart married Jeanie Watson in Wichita Falls, TX, remaining married until 1980 and having two children, Melissa and Michael. In 1992, he married Julie Christian in Waco, TX, remaining married until 2011 and having two children, Sarah and David.
Stuart received his BA in Philosophy and English from Baylor University in 1965. After studying theology at Harvard Divinity School in 1965, he was drawn to further study of philosophy. He earned his MA in Philosophy from the University of Nebraska in 1968, followed by his PhD in Philosophy from Brown University in 1972.
Stuart taught for nearly 40 years at Baylor, focusing on American philosophy, especially the work of John Dewey and William James. For many years, he was Director of Baylor's graduate program in philosophy, and he was the key figure in designing its PhD program. Stuart served multiple terms on the Faculty Senate and twice earned Baylor’s Outstanding Faculty Member Award. He also led Baylor’s summer program at Oxford for a number of years. He touched countless lives through his teaching. Stuart officially retired from the Department of Philosophy in 2019, but he continued to write and correspond with professional colleagues about the ideas in his scholarly writing. He was enormously productive during his later years, recently writing three books: Pragmatism and the Reflective Life (2009); Recovering Integrity: Moral Thought in American Pragmatism (2015); and Race, Justice, and American Intellectual Traditions (2018).
He was preceded in death by parents, Earl and Dorothy Rosenbaum. He is survived by daughter, Melissa; son, Michael and spouse, Sarah; daughter, Sarah; son, David; grandchildren, Caleb, Carson, Evan, and Guthrie; and brother, Stephen and spouse, Joan.
Stuart was deeply devoted to his children and grandchildren, and they celebrate his influence on their lives. He inspired in them a love of nature and a recognition of spirit in all forms. His presence fostered an appreciation of language, poetry, and music and encouraged curiosity, inquiry, and pursuit of knowledge. Stuart’s gentle, patient, and generous nature -- and, most of all, his unconditional love -- gave them a strong foundation to follow their passions and thrive as unique individuals. He provided them with a deep appreciation of the human condition and the spiritual value of community.
Stuart’s words will continue to support, guide, and inspire us:
“Breathe Deep and Seek Peace.” “It’s Wonderful.”
The family would like to establish an endowed memorial fund in Stuart’s name, at Baylor. If you would like to contribute to this fund, more information will be available at the time of the virtual memorial service.
Additionally, gifts may be made in Stuart’s honor to The LivLyme Foundation (www.livlymefoundation.org) and to the Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org).