Stuart Alexander Christie

Stuart Alexander Christie, 93, of Charleston, SC, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.

Born October 10, 1926 in Paterson, NJ, he was the eldest son of the late James G. Christie and Johan R. Christie who immigrated from Scotland in 1924.

He was predeceased by his wife of 68 years, Sheila Haywood Christie, who passed away February 26, 2019, and his younger brother, Donald J. Christie.

He is survived by his three children: Barbara Stuart Christie of Charleston, SC, Kathleen Elizabeth Christie of Morristown, NJ and James Haywood Christie and his wife, Kathy, of Bedminster, NJ; his grandson, Alexander James Christie, of Bedminster, NJ; his sister-in-law, Joyce Christie, of Wyckoff, NJ; and a niece and nephew and their families.

On his eighteenth birthday, Stuart enlisted in the United States Navy and served during World War II aboard a destroyer escort ship in the Pacific. His ship was in Tokyo Bay for the surrender of Japan in 1945.

After World War II, he attended Rutgers University where he earned both a B.S. and M.B.A degree in Business Administration. He was a member of the Delta Sigma Pi fraternity.

Stuart started his 38-year career at Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ in 1953 as one of the company's first manufacturing trainees. He held various positions in manufacturing before being named Vice President of Manufacturing and Engineering and then Group VP of Operations. He traveled the world representing J&J and was subsequently named a Company Group Chairman in 1975. He served as Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Operations Technology and Development and a Corporate Officer from 1986 until his retirement at the end of 1991. Among his extraordinary contributions to J&J was overseeing the acquisition and development of the technology for ACCUVUE contact lens.

A long-time resident of Bernardsville, NJ, Stuart was an avid golfer and a member of the Somerset Hills Country Club as well as the U.S. Seniors Golf Association. He was also an active member of The Country Club of Charleston for many years. In addition, he was a part time resident of Elk River Club in Banner Elk, NC where he served a term as president of the club.

Proud of his Scottish heritage, he often wore his kilt for special occasions and was a long time member of The St. Andrews Society of New York City and Charleston, SC.

Well known for his leadership and philanthropy, Stuart contributed his time and talent to many community and church organizations both in New Jersey and South Carolina where he and his wife, Sheila, moved in 1993 after his retirement.

In New Jersey, he served on the Boards of Trustees of The Matheny School, Centenary College, Somerset Hills YMCA, and was Chairman of the Independent College Fund of New Jersey. He was a founding member of the MIT Manufacturing Leadership Program. He was also a parishioner of the Church of St. John on the Mountain in Bernardsville where he served on the Vestry and was twice elected Warden.

In Charleston, he served on the Boards of Trustees of the Roper Hospital Foundation, Charleston Symphony Orchestra, Darkness to Light, and the Advisory Board for the Business School of The College of Charleston. He was a faithful member of Grace Church Cathedral where he served on the Vestry and was twice elected Warden.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, September 12th in Grace Church Cathedral, 98 Wentworth St at 2:00 pm (also live streamed on YouTube). Interment will follow in the columbarium. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to the Sheila Christie Nursing Scholarship Fund at Bishop Gadsden, 1 Bishop Gadsden Way, Charleston, SC 29412 or Grace Church Cathedral, 98 Wentworth St, Charleston, SC 29401. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel.