Wilfred Hill "Fred" Steward III

Wilfred Hill "Fred" Steward III, 76, passed away at home in Orlando, Florida, on Friday, October 30, 2026, after a long illness. He was born on September 15, 1950, at Fort Lewis, Washington, to Virgil Louise Wheeler and Wilfred Hill Steward II.

Fred grew up as an Army brat, living in El Paso, Texas, Germany, and his favorite place, Camp Zama, Japan. Even so, he always considered himself a Texan at heart. He graduated from The University of Texas at El Paso and started his government career at White Sands, New Mexico. Electrical engineering was always his passion. He worked in both industry and defense, and retired from Northrop Grumman Laser Systems in Orlando.

Fred always loved to travel. Royal Caribbean was his favorite cruise line, and for him, any day was a good day to set sail, no matter the weather or destination.

He had a wonderful sense of humor, which he kept even through his illness. He could be goofy one moment and make everyone laugh the next. Fred was generous and never liked to see anyone in pain. He was a loving and devoted grandfather, father, and husband, and he left a lasting mark on our family. We will always love him.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, his stepfather Louis Spears, his brother Rick Spears, and his sister Sharon Schubert. He is survived by his wife, Sherry; his stepchildren, Amanda Cerchiara and James Hooper; his grandchildren, Dominic and Simone Cerchiara; his sisters, Sara Partee and Nancy Lewis, both of Dallas, Texas; and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank AdventHealth Hospice for the excellent care and compassion they showed to Fred and to all of us during his last year.

Memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association at heart.org.