Durian Hamblin Stewart
April 6, 1925 — August 1, 2013
Durian H. Stewart
Provo, Utah & San Diego, Calif.
Durian Hamblin Stewart, 88, passed away peacefully in his sleep in Provo, Utah, on August 1, 2013, rejoining his wife of 59 years within four months of her passing. He was born in Los Angeles, California on April 6, 1925 to parents Carlos and Pearl Johnson Stewart. During World War II he served in the U.S. Navy. After graduating from BYU, Durian worked at KSL in Salt Lake City, where he met Joan Day. They married on December 19, 1953, in the St. George Temple.
While working for KSL, Durian was among the first cameramen to televise live network broadcasts across the country, including the first broadcast of General Conference for the LDS Church. He returned to California in the early 1950s to work for the CBS affiliate Channel 8 in San Diego as a newsreel cameraman.
During his news career, Durian filmed every U.S. president from Harry Truman to Gerald Fold. He covered the first launch of the Polaris missile and the testing of the first space craft for the Apollo mission. His press pass allowed him to dive on a nuclear submarine and to fly at speeds up to 700 mph (just under Mach 1) in the backseat of the Navy’s Blue Angels #7 jet before landing on an aircraft carrier. After retiring from broadcasting, Durian received awards for his contribution as a television pioneer in San Diego and was inducted into the "Silver Circle" of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Durian enjoyed building and flying model airplanes, building model railroads, sailing and reading. As an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Durian served in various callings. His favorite was serving with his wife as ordinance workers in the San Diego Temple. In their golden years, Durian and Joan lived near their children first in Henderson, Nev., and then in Provo.
Durian is survived by his sons Darryl Stewart and Kortlan Stewart, his daughter Cheryl (John) Osborn, and his grandchildren Chelsea (Chris) Hill, Richard Osborn, and Cameron Osborn. He is preceded in death by his wife, his parents, and his brother Maitland Stewart.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 10, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. in the Provo Edgewood LDS Ward Chapel at 3511 N. 180 E. in Provo, where friends may call from 10:00 -10:30 a.m. Burial will be at 3:30 p.m. in the Aurora Cemetery with military rites by the Salina American Legion Post #36 and Utah Honor Guard. Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook at www.maglebymortuary.com