Alden Levi Stewart

Mar 2009 Issue

Alden Stewart has been named as a recipient of the 2009 Distinguished Nevadan award. This is the most prestigious award conferred by the Board of Regents. It is bestowed upon prominent individuals who have made significant achievements that have contributed to the cultural, scientific or social advancement of Nevada. The recipients will be honored at commencements in Reno and Las Vegas in May.

Alden Stewart was born February 28, 1917 in Alamo, Nevada, and has resided in the state of Nevada his entire life. While one could say Alden has attained great personal success, his greatest success may be the impact he has had on others through his military service to country, his service to community, his contributions to Nevada’s economy, and his enduring example to his posterity.

As a young man, Alden served his country for approximately four years during World War II. During his entire service he did not receive one leave. As a member of the cavalry attached to the Air Force, Alden served as a medic and was stationed on land and sea in the South Pacific. He participated in the numerous battles and campaigns including the Eastern Mandate, Western Pacific, Air Offensive Japan, and Ryuryus 60/40. In recognition of his efforts,
Alden received the following Decorations and Citations: Soldiers Medal of Valor, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, and Good Conduct Medal.

Through voluntary leadership as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Alden gave tremendous service to the communities of Alamo, Glendale, Logandale, Mesquite, Pioche, Overton, and Las Vegas.
Several neighborhood church meetinghouses, which are still in use today, were built under his direction. He played a vital role in organizing construction crews, gathering donated materials, and supervising the construction process.
In addition to the foregoing, Alden was also responsible for the spiritual and emotional wellbeing of numerous congregations over the course of three decades. Alden contributed countless hours of his time to supervise weekly youth activities and account for church contributions and donations. Alden also helped run and organize service at a local church farm which assisted in providing for the welfare needs of the entire community.

Alden has had significant involvement in the building up of the infrastructure of the state of Nevada. As a teenager, Alden helped build some of Nevada’s highways by providing lunches for crews and driving trucks full of highway building materials. As an adult, Alden and his brothers established companies that provided those same building materials and helped build Nevada’s roads, freeways, dams, and buildings. These companies continue to provide jobs for numerous Nevadans today and contribute substantially to Nevada’s economy. Nevada Ready Mix, for example, has provided concrete for many of the major Las Vegas resorts and hotels as well as multiple neighborhood housing developments.

Alden and his wife, Carma, have been married for 62 years. They raised their six children in Nevada and currently have 24 grandchildren and 46 great grandchildren. Alden has led an exemplary life of service and selflessness, and he continues to care for his neighbors and community in whatever manner possible. He has lived off of and cared for the land of Nevada his entire life, and at the age of 92, Alden continues to run and participate in a successful cattle business. His contributions to community, family, and country have been limitless. Alden Stewart is truly a distinguished Nevadan.