The Darien Times

Obituary: Richard Warren ‘Rick’ Stewart, 56, worked in finance, coached Darien youth sports

Written by The Darien Times
Tuesday, January 10, 2012 12:17 PM

Richard Warren "Rick" Stewart of Darien, who worked in finance and coached Darien youth baseball, died of cancer on Sunday, Jan. 8, at Greenwich Hospital. Mr. Stewart, 56, was the husband of Kelly Barnes Stewart.

Born June 29, 1955, in Lancaster, Pa., Mr. Stewart graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from Washington & Lee University in 1978 and with an master's degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Business in 1985.

Mr. Stewart began his career in finance at Manufacturers Hanover Trust and was later a founding partner and co-portfolio manager at Octagon Credit Investors. During his career, Mr. Stewart focused on leveraged buyouts, recapitalizations, acquisition financings and credit restructurings. In 1999, he joined Nomura Corporate Research & Asset Management as a managing director to launch the firm's leveraged loan practice.

In addition to his work, Mr. Stewart has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Loan Syndications & Trading Association Inc. and as a contributing editor to the LSTA Handbook for Loan Syndications & Trading, published by McGraw Hill.

Mr. Stewart was an energetic member of the Darien community, where he lived with his wife of 20 years and their sons, Danny, 14, and Robbie, 9. A dedicated baseball coach, his family said, Mr. Stewart was commissioner of T-ball, Single A, Double A and Triple A baseball leagues and became a board member of the Darien Little League.

A former Boy Scout, Mr. Stewart guided his sons in scouting, serving as both a Cub Scout Den Leader for Pack 55 and an Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 53 in Darien. He also served as a board member of the Andrew Shaw Memorial Trust, an organization which supports Darien Boy Scouts. In addition, he was an enthusiastic supporter of Darien Youth Hockey.

Mr. Stewart is remembered for his generous spirit, uncompromising integrity and sense of humor, which touched the lives of many people, his family said. He was a member of both the Country Club of Darien and the Tokeneke Club. For nearly three decades, Mr. Stewart performed as a second tenor with the University Glee Club of New York and The Ten, a cappella singing groups based in New York City. Mr. Stewart was also a member of St. Thomas More R.C. Church, where he worshipped with his family.

In addition to his wife and children, Mr. Stewart is survived by his parents, Robert J. and Virginia P. Stewart of Lancaster, Pa.; by his in-laws Peter and Barbara Barnes of Edison, N.J.; siblings, Robert J. Stewart Jr. of Atlanta, Anne Stewart Doane of Silver Spring, Md., and Charles V. Stewart of Clifton Park, N.Y.; and by five sisters-in-law, four brothers-in-law, and 17 nieces and nephews. His sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Sheila and Paolo Clemente live in New Canaan.

A wake will be held Thursday, Jan. 12, from 4-8, at the Edward Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Post Road, Darien. A funeral Mass will be held Friday, Jan. 13, at 10:30, at the St. Thomas More, 374 Middlesex Road, followed by a graveside service at Spring Grove Cemetery in Darien. A reception will follow.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Andrew Shaw Memorial Trust, (an organization that supports Darien Boy Scouts) P.O. Box 2315, Darien, CT 06820 or to Darien Youth Baseball, P.O. 2108 Darien, CT 06820 (www.dybs.org).

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