Barefoot Hiking

‘Barefoot Stew,’ 83

By Al Gauthier ⋅ April 17, 2009 ⋅

‘Barefoot Stew,’ 83 – Served in U.S. military, drove stock cars, lived life without shoes

In one of his many other lives, Punditty takes to the trails several times a year with a group of barefoot hikers. While this may not sound like everyone’s idea of a good time, the 3- to 5-hour walks (with snack breaks, of course) is simultaneously energizing and relaxing for those of us who could never get used to life on the inside.

The inside of shoes, that is.

One such kindred spirit Punditty never had the pleasure of meeting was Henry “Barefoot Stew” McDonald, a Florida resident who drove stock cars, waterskied and even served in the Army Air Corps — all without shoes.

His Aug. 30 obituary in the St. Petersburg Times says that when Henry was a boy during the Great Depression, he hid his shoes on the way to school and chose to go barefoot so that the other children who couldn’t afford them wouldn’t feel inferior.

When he flew bombers for the Army Air Corps, he did the job barefoot. Later in his military career, he worked as general’s aide. The general insisted that McDonald wear shoes with his uniform, so McDonald agreed to a compromise.

An observation: As a stateside, peace-time veteran of a National Guard unit in yet another “other life,” Punditty is quite intrigued by the idea that a lower-ranking soldier or airman would even dream of working out a “compromise” with a general on any matter, much less on something like going barefoot while on duty, be it peacetime or wartime. However, they apparently struck a deal; McDonald would wear shoes into the office, but once inside he could take them off.

But wait, there’s more: Eventually, the obituary reports, “the general stopped wearing shoes, too.”

McDonald went on to become one of the original barefoot waterskiers, performing at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Fla. The obituary also reports that he worked as a commentator for Wide World of Sports over the years, taught waterskiing and was inducted into the Waterskiing Hall of Fame in 1992.

He also served for a time as president of the Florida Motion Picture and Television Association.

The full obituary can be accessed at:

http://www.tampabay.com/news/obituaries/article790281.ece

If this link becomes inactive, the story itself should always be in the archives at www.tampabay.com.

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