Stuart, John Michael (Mike)

John Michael Stuart (Mike) of

Rio Rancho, New Mexico, passed away unexpectedly on April 6,

2017 in his sleep while in his motor home at Texas Motor Speedway. He was born on February 1, 1954 in Mexico, Missouri to Margaret Loree Berry (nee Spencer and Stuart) and John L. Stuart. His father passed away when Mike was not quite two. He and his brother, Tom, were raised by their mother and stepfather, Clyde B. Berry.

Mike graduated from Mexico High School in 1972 and received a BS degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Missouri - Columbia in 1977. He then had a very successful career as an engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur. He retired at the end of 2014 as Vice President of Innovative Medical Technologies at Stryker Orthopedics. He was recently awarded his 29th U.S. patent for medical devices and more patents are pending. He worked on heart valves, laser eye surgery devices, minimal invasion breast biopsy devices, surgical robots, and many other medical devices.

He was an accomplished person in many ways including being an Eagle Scout, an amateur radio operator (K5KM, AC5Z0, WB0SVY) and life member of the Amateur Radio Relay League, a private pilot, a NASCAR fan, and an excellent marksman and life member of National Rifle Association and Fifty Caliber Shooters Association.

Mike is survived by Frances Stuart (nee Hauck and Stocking), his wife of seventeen years and soul mate for over thirty years, and their pet parakeets, Miss Birdie and Frodo; younger brother, Tom Stuart, and his wife, Becca, of Spring Hill, Florida; and many relatives, friends, and business associates.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. to honor Mike’s work in breast cancer diagnosis technologies or to a charitable organization of the donor’s choice. They may all be sent in care of Arnold Funeral Home, 425 South Jefferson Street, Mexico, MO 65265.

Funeral services and visitation were held on Monday, April 17, at Arnold Funeral Home in Mexico, Missouri. Burial was in East Lawn Memorial Park in Mexico.

A celebration of Mike’s life will be held in New Mexico at a later date.

Online condolences at www.arnoldfh.com