The hints of post World War I air of opportunity were flowing in the wind like the smell of home cooking, and Launceston was pushing for a boom.

Though he could not have known it at the time, the industrious, creative and hard-working John Stewart was bound to capitalise on the world he was born into.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: From triumph to tragedy: The little known story of Launceston's robotic T-Rex

Almost 96 years later on June 6, at the ripe age of 95, Mr Stewart died in Launceston leaving behind a legacy scarring the street of the town he called home and the minds of many who lived there.

"He was a very family orientated man - so dedicated to grandma [Rae] - and he always used to say there was never a cross word said and he would always say 'yes, dear'," Mr Stewart's granddaughter Sarah Clark said.

"They had such a very special marriage."

Mr and Mrs Stewart were married for more than 70 years and had to bear the burden of laying to rest their two sons which undoubtedly fortified their love for one another.

And while Mr Stewart's undying love for his wife played a large part in what endeared him to his grandchildren, it was his exploits as a businessman that caused his name to reverberate down Wellington Street and up the Brisbane Street Mall.

His first job was at The Examiner as a commercial composer where he spent seven years.

From doing a "kind of apprenticeship" with the commercial machines to rejoicing in reporting about the local greyhounds, Mr Stewart took great pride in his time with the local rag.

Ms Clark said the paper had left such a mark on him that appearing among its pages remained a joy of his throughout his life.

His 70th wedding anniversary with his wife was celebrated in a 2017 edition of the paper, and representing himself as a businessman in Launceston remained an important part of his life as he called on The Examiner to highlight issues he thought were important to be known by the greater community.

Ms Clark said a tribute to Mr Stewart in the paper was a poetic end to a lifetime in its pages.

After his years with The Examiner, and with the Second World War in the rear-vision mirror, Mr Stewart decided it was time he took the steering wheel of his career.

Mr Stewart did that quite literally through a slew of pick-up and delivery ventures he managed to get contracts for. From freighting goods straight off planes, to delivering newspapers and all sorts of clothing and merchandise, Mr Stewart built a strong business acumen personified by hard work and a commitment to educating himself.

With his business acumen came an understanding of the value of money.

Shortly thereafter, Mr Stewart decided to capitalise on his experience in the delivery industry and get into the grocery store game.

He opened the once well-known S.O.S. - shop one stop - supermarket, first in West Launceston before expanding into Kings Meadows, Brisbane Street, Wellington Street, Mowbray and Deloraine.

It was in his role as supermarket tycoon he endeared himself to a chunk of Launceston.

Former employee David Plumridge worked for Mr Stewart at S.O.S. for more than 15 years.

He said Mr Stewart was one of those blokes who seemed to have it all figured out.

Part of Mr Stewart's mighty personality included an innate knowledge of advertising.

Ms Clark said one story she always remembered from her grandfather was the day he capitalised on an advertising campaign from a competitor.

The competitor was having a promotional parade through the streets of Launceston and, catching wind of the parade and seizing the opportunity, Mr Stewart decked out one of his trucks with a banner that said "S.O.S. leads the way" and ducked to the front of the procession.

Ms Clark said Mr Stewart remained an inoffensively cheeky man with a lick of old school charm throughout his life. On a more recent shopping trip with Ms Clark, the pair headed to Routley's to buy Mr Stewart a pair of shoes.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Old or new: Launceston's great streetscape debate

Ms Clark said her grandfather would always say, "if you can shop at Routley's you know you've made it". After purchasing a pair of shoes Ms Clark went to fetch the car to collect her grandfather and in the meantime he had managed to convince the shop steward to pour him a whiskey.

"He rang me and left a voice message on my phone that night and he said 'Sarah, if you want to get a whiskey, go and buy some shoes at Routley's," Ms Clark said.

Aside from his apprenticeship at The Examiner and establishment of S.O.S, Mr Stewart managed a glowing real estate career in which he managed to sell 24 houses in one month before establishing the residential division of Roberts Real Estate. He was a devoted Christian and contributed his services to help the Salvation Army set up what went on to be one of their most successful stores in Launceston.

Mr Stewart was also a founding member of South Launceston Probus and a keen bowler.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor: