Former Alexandrian Jack S. Stearman, 84, died on Feb. 12, in Fullerton, Calif. He was the twin brother of Lewis A. Stearman, retired newspaper executive of the Alexandria Gazette. He also worked for the Alexandria Gazette in the early 1940's before enlisting in the U.S. Navy when he was 18 years old. In 1944, he fought in the South Pacific during the Guam operation and received an individual citation for his performance in the battle of Guam.
While Stearman was serving his country in the Southwest Pacific operations, his brother Ellis was also serving in the U.S. Navy. Just before Christmas in the year 1943, both naval ships docked at the same port. Recognizing the ship next to his brother's, and a possible chance meeting at port, Jack secured permission from his Commanding Officer to go on board and spend Christmas day with his brother. Jack wrote his parents in Alexandria, Joseph and Esther Stearman, "that was the best gift I could have asked for and it was the happiest day I've spent here." He informed his parents that he and Ellis were in the best of health.
After the war ended, he returned to Alexandria and worked for the Alexandria Gazette for a short period of time, and then worked for the Life Insurance Company of Virginia. He became involved in various youth activities in the City of Alexandria.
In 1947, he met and married Jean Miller of Los Angeles, and resided there. A few years later, he moved his family to Fullerton, Calif., where in 1954, he and his brother-in-law started a security guard business called Pacific Plant Protection Company and turned it into a thriving protection security business with over 1,500 employees. In 1972, the company was sold to Wells Fargo Security. He was very involved in the community and served on many boards, and also ran for Fullerton City Council in the early 1970's but was narrowly defeated. He moved to Newport Beach, Calif. when he retired in 1973, and in 1991, he relocated to San Clemente. He is survived by his current wife, Ilka, of 30 years; his brothers Lewis of Alexandria, and Stanley of Silver Springs, Md.; his sons Jon, Jim, and Jeff; his step-daughters, Susie Jones, Jane Doseff, and Debby Teeter, several grandchildren; great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.