C. Wallace Stuard Jr., 88, funeral director, sailor

C. Wallace Stuard Jr., 88, of Ardmore and Cape May, a fifth-generation funeral home director and an accomplished sailor, died of complications from surgery Monday, Aug. 16, at Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May.

A graduate of Lower Merion High School, Mr. Stuard served aboard a Navy ship in the Mediterranean during World War II that was struck by a torpedo.

He was blown overboard and an ankle was broken by the ship's propeller. He was rescued after eight hours at sea and later received a Purple Heart. When he recovered, he was assigned to a ship in the Pacific.

After his discharge, Mr. Stuard graduated from Eckels School of Mortuary Science in Philadelphia and joined the family business, Stuard Funeral Home in Ardmore. He continued to be involved in the business which his son, C. Wallace III, now operates.

Mr. Stuard was a Mason and was proud of his 40-year membership with the Merion Fire Company - 25 as an active firefighter. "But it was sailing that had his heart," his son said.

As a child, he learned to sail in Cape May, where his grandparents had a home. He later taught his children to sail and race small boats, and established a foundation to provide sailing scholarships for children at the Corinthian Yacht Club of Cape May. He was former commodore of the yacht club, served on the board of the Corinthian Yacht Club of Philadelphia, was a member of the Storm Trisail Club, and was a past president of the South Jersey Yacht Racing Association.

Mr. Stuard participated in 15 sailing races from Newport, R.I., to Bermuda and sailed competitively until 15 years ago, his son said. This summer he was out in a motorboat supervising sailing races in Cape May.

In addition to his son, Mr. Stuard is survived by his wife of 65 years, Marie Engman Stuard; daughters Karen Huston, Kris McBurney, and Kory Joyce; a sister; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

A funeral will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at the Episcopal Church of the Advent, Washington and Franklin Streets, Cape May.