Stuart Marvon Birley

Stuart Marvon Birley was born on December 6, 1931 and died October 16, 2020 at age 88. His parents were Lester and Gertrude Schurmann Birley. He was born at home in Waterloo, Iowa, the first of two identical twin brothers. His siblings were Marjorie (Marge) Fleiter, Vernon (Bud), and his twin, Stanley. He graduated high school at the age of 17 in 1949 and earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1952, one in Mathematics and one in Marketing, from Iowa State Teachers College (UNI). In 1958 he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University (ISU) and later, in 1970, he earned his Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering, also from ISU. Stuart served in the Navy as a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) from 1953-1956 during and after the Korean War. Stuart was awarded the China Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. His most significant duty assignment was as an electronics officer on the USS O'Brien DD 725 destroyer, which was a very rough vessel during storms on the Pacific Ocean. Later in life, he truly enjoyed returning to the seas, cruising with family across the Atlantic, on the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and in Alaska. Some of his most treasured moments were with friends and family, especially when he was in Germany with his in-laws.

He married Liselotte (Lilo) Lohmeyer in 1954 and they had two daughters, Cindy and Lisa. Lilo died in 1974. He was fortunate to have had two loving wives, and married Ingeborg (Inge) Lämmer, his second wife, in 1978. He raised Constanze (Conny) Burkett, his stepdaughter, as his own from the time she was 12 years old. Stuart lived in Waterloo for the majority of his life, however, he spent four years in Germany. He was a renowned gear design engineer; his designs were used world-wide by John Deere, and many are still used today. He retired as a Senior Engineer from John Deere after nearly 40 years (1958-1998). Stuart and Inge moved to Flower Mound, Texas in recent years to be closer to Conny and her family and to enjoy a warmer climate.

He raised three daughters and finally got a much-coveted boy in the bloodline when his grandchildren arrived. He was proudest of the accomplishments and independence of his children and grandchildren. Stuart was a detail-oriented, precision thinker - always generous and caring of others, but personally led a modest lifestyle. Those who knew him respected him and recognized him for his kindness and honesty. He loved nature and animals and had a special fondness for bird watching.

Throughout his lifetime, he and his brother, Stanley, had a special bond. They spoke with each other regularly and looked forward to spending time together.

Pre-deceased are his parents, first wife, Lilo, sister - Marge, and brother – Bud. He is survived by his wife, Inge of Flower Mound, Texas; his three daughters and their spouses, Cindy (Richard Zoeter) Birley of Denver, Colorado, Lisa (Rafael) Baronio of Lee's Summit, Missouri, and Conny (Ken) Burkett of Southlake, Texas; his grandchildren, Stefan and Sofia Baronio, and Nicolas and Xander Burkett; and his identical twin brother, Stanley M. Birley of Olathe, Kansas and Stanley's wife, Jean.

If you wish to honor Stuart with a memorial, please direct it to the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, www.RMConservancy.org/donate .