Law officer’s passion: Helping troubled kids
Malone Stewart’s successful career in law enforcement spanned more than 30 years, during which he served nearly every division of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office — from narcotics to special investigations.
His passion, however, was reaching out to troubled, underprivileged youth.
“He was very compassionate about the youth and social issues,” said Stewart’s sister, Claritha Martin of Lake Mary. “Hewas a role model.”
Stewart, a well-known figure throughout Orange County, was appointed undersheriff to former Sheriff Kevin Beary. But through all of his duties, he still maintained his focus on helping troubled kids by founding the Nehemiah-Sheriff’s Academy, a short-lived but effective school for troubled boys.
“The school lasted for two and half years, but he started it because he understood at-risk youth are more vulnerable to crime,” Martin said. “He understood because he was in the same situation when he was younger.”
Stewart died Friday from cardiac arrest. He was 60.
Born in Ellaville, Ga., but mostly raised in Winter Park, Stewart was the oldest of eight siblings in a single parent home. He was often characterized as being the father figure to his brothers and sisters, but still kept a humorous side.
“He told us stories of howhe had to work in a cafeteria just to eat lunch at times. He was raised in a poor family and had to work whenhewas young,” said Sade Stewart, one of his five daughters.
Sade recalled a family member telling her that Stewart knew he wanted to go into law enforcement since he was 6 years old and howhis upbringing reinforced his aspiration.
“He always told us how much he cared about people,” said Stewart’s daughter Kim Daniel of Carrollton, Ga. “Hewanted to give people a voice that didn’t have one.”
From his humble beginnings, Stewart started his career in 1975 as a patrol officer for the Winter Park Police Department. He soon became an agent with the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation in 1979 and earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Rollins College in 1980.
In 1981, he was hired as sergeant for the Apopka Substation in the Patrol Division, but then went on to serve at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for 28 years until his retirement in 2009.
But as busy as Stewart was, he always looked for a way to improve himself, which is why he went back to school at UCF to earn his master’s degree in Criminal Justice.
“His job was very demanding but he was a bit of a perfectionist. He had an abundance of knowledge,” said his daughter Trenichia Stewart.
Mark Nolan, a good friend, explained why Stewart was so motivated to help the community and look out for those who were in a dire situation.
“Malone started out with nothing. Where he got in life, he got through hard work and making the right decisions. Things were not given to him,” Nolan said. “A guy from humble roots never stopped giving back. He constantly reached out to people and never forgot where he came from.”
In addition to daughters Trenichia Stewart, Sade Stewart and KimDaniel, and sister Claritha Martin, Stewart is survived by his wife, Patricia Stewart of Orlando; daughter Paris Stewart of Atlanta; and daughter Malondra of Orlando, along with three grandchildren.
Mitchell’s Funeral Home, Orlando is handling the arrangements.