Brother Stewart was born in 1960 in Columbia , Missouri .  He received a BA degree from the University of Missouri—Columbia in 1983 and graduated from the UMC School of Law in 1987, later that fall going to work as an attorney and eventually becoming the Staff Director of the Missouri Public Service Commission until starting his own private law practice in 1993.  He married his wife Kris in 1981 at the Newman Center .  Kris works as a Medical Technologist for Columbia Regional Hospital and is active in the Columbia Community Band and Columbia Civic Orchestra.  They have no children, other than their two adopted rescued racing greyhounds.  They recently remodeled their home which formerly was an historic German restaurant, where he and Kris both worked while in junior high school, high school and in college.

Coming from a Masonic family, he began his Masonic career during his first year of law school in Kansas City .  With his proficiency coaching provided as courtesy through Swope Park Lodge, he was initiated an Entered Apprentice on November 27, 1984, passed to the degree of Fellow Craft on February 26, 1985, and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on April 9, 1985 in Twilight Lodge #114, where he served as Master in 1999.  He served on the Lodge Building Association, was involved in the construction of the new Columbia lodge building, and remains active as a member of the 3^rd degree team as one of the three “lawyer ruffians”.  He holds dual membership in Acacia Lodge No. 602, has served on the Grand Lodge Ways and Means Committee since 2004, and on the Grand Lodge Building Committee in 1999.

He received his 32^o degree at the Columbia Valley Scottish Rite in September 1985, was honored with the rank and decoration of Knight Commander of the Court of Honor in October 1997, and was coroneted an Inspector General Honorary 33^o in November 2003.  He served as the Venerable Master of the Lodge of Perfection from 1996-1997 during the construction of the Columbia Valley Scottish Rite Masonic Center and was the Columbia Valley Personal Representative to the SGIG from 2004-2007.  He is a past board member of RiteCare Valley of Columbia and of the Scottish Rite Foundation of Missouri.  He currently serves as Chairman of Columbia Valley Scottish Rite Temple Association and remains active in the degree work.

He joined the York Rite in Kirksville , Missouri in October 1988.  He currently serves as High Priest in Columbia Chapter #17 R.A.M., as Captain of the Guard in Centralia Council #34 Royal and Select Masters, and is a past Commander of St. Graal Commandery #12 Knights Templar.  He was the Charter Secretary of the Heart of Missouri York Rite College and currently serves as the Deputy Governor.  He also currently serves on the Grand Chapter and Grand Council Jurisprudence Committees.  His other Masonic memberships include Marquis de La Fayette Council #392 A.M.D., Tipperary Council #62 Knight Masons, Royal Order of Scotland, S.R.C.I.F., St. Thomas of Acon, Order of High Priesthood, Past Commanders Association, Scottish Rite Research Society, Missouri Lodge of Research, Moolah Shrine, Allepo Grotto, Tiger Shrine Club, Tall Cedars of Lebanon and the Sword of Bunker Hill.  His A.M.D. presentation, Recovering the Lost Master’s Word, was published by the Grand Council of the Allied Masonic Degrees in the 2006 edition of its annual publication, Miscellanea.

Brother Stewart’s other community activities include being a charter member of the Southside Optimist Club, a Past Exalted Ruler and Past Lodge Trustee of the Columbia Elks Lodge, and a past board member of the Columbia Benevolent Organization, Inc.  He still serves on the board of directors of the Missouri 10-33 Benevolent Fund, Inc., which he co-founded with Brother and former Governor Roger B. Wilson.