Stewart is a biology instructor who is originally from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He and his wife spent forty-five years living aboard sailboats; raising their two children aboard and later cruising from Maine to the Caribbean. Always interested in new pursuits, in 1992 he placed second at the US national team dance roller skating competition in Buffalo, New York. After retirement, he pursued clarinet playing in 2008 and remains an integral part of the fine clarinet section of the SACB.