A class act is described as a person or thing displaying impressive and stylish excellence. Legendary actor James (Jimmy) Maitland Stewart sure fits that definition; he was a true class act. Whatever Jimmy Stewart did he was a success whether it be a soldier, a family man, an actor, or just a very genuine down-to-earth, all-around nice person.

Jimmy enlisted in the Army Air Corps soon after the United States entered the Second World War in 1941. He attained the rank of colonel and received several awards for his service. He remained in The United States Air Force Reserve and was promoted to Brigadier General in 1959, he retired in 1968 and was awarded the United States Air Force Distinguished Service Medal. President Ronald Reagan would later award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom and promote him to the rank of Major General.

Jimmy Stewart was a bachelor for a long time, he married Gloria Hatrick McLean at age 41 and they remained married for 44 years until she passed away in February of 1994. Jimmy adopted Gloria's two sons Ronald and Michael from her previous marriage, and then in 1951 he and Gloria had twin daughters Judy and Kelly. Ronald was killed in action in Vietnam on June 8, 1969, at the age of 24, while serving as a lieutenant with the Marine Corps. Gloria died in 1994 as a result of lung cancer and Jimmy passed away in July of 1997.

It's worth repeating that Jimmy was not only a success in the military and as a family man, he was also one of the finest actors that profession has ever produced. Any of his approximately eighty movies were good but four I especially enjoyed are Harvey, Rear Window, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and The Spirit of St. Louis. His portrayal as George Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life has become a Christmas classic, it is repeated annually on television.

I remember him in The Stratton Story, a very inspiring movie about Monty Stratton who was from Greenville, Texas and continued to play baseball and be a star pitcher for the Chicago White Sox despite losing part of his leg in a hunting accident. In the 1950s Monty came to Sherman's Old Settler's Park and spoke to a large group of boys about the many benefits of Little League Baseball. The father of a classmate of mine was also a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, he played there just a few years ahead of Monty Stratton.  

Not many people know it, but Jimmy Stewart also wrote poetry as a hobby from time to time; two of the best examples of his poetry can be viewed on YouTube. Both of these appearances were from The Tonight Show when Johnny Carson was the host. One of his poems is about his dog "Beau" and the other is titled "I am a Camera." Jimmy's genuine love for his dog is especially evident in his reciting of the poem about Beau. Jimmy and Johnny both get pretty teary eyed towards the end of that poem.

Jimmy Stewart was born in Indiana, Pennsylvania, the Jimmy Stewart Museum there attracts an average of 6,000 visitors a year.

He was one of my dad's favorite actors, two others of my dad's favorites were Cary Grant and Spencer Tracy.
 
Besides being awarded many commendations in the military Jimmy won many awards in the acting field as well. Five of Jimmy's films are in American Film Institute's 100 Greatest Films of All Time. God wants each of us to make the most of the life he has given us as we possibly can, Jimmy Stewart definitely did that. He was truly "A Class Act."

If you have any comments or questions my e-mail address is deh63shs@yahoo.com.