A farewell to Bill Stewart

Nearly every Saturday for the past six-and-a-half years, a column by Bill Stewart anchored our Opinions page. The former globe-trotting journalist and U.S. Foreign Service officer brought his years of observing the world to analyzing the week’s events for readers of our newspaper.

His column, Understanding Your World, started in 2000 and ran in various parts of the paper before becoming a regular feature on Saturdays on the Opinions page. A week ago, though, Stewart’s regular column did not show up. Calls to his home went unanswered. On Monday, a friend phoned in the bad news. There would be no more columns. Stewart, who had been battling various infections and conditions of aging the past few years, had died.

He could write 600 words on events as disparate as ongoing struggles in the Middle East, the history of the British monarchy or the roots of World War I. And he did so, every week, with depth and understanding. Former New Mexican Editor Ray Rivera, on hearing of Stewart’s passing, remarked: “He exemplified what was so cool about Santa Fe, and one of the aspects I miss most, the pure concentration of smart people with global worldviews.”

Today, at 2 p.m., Stewart’s friends will celebrate his life. Services will take place under the auspices of St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, at its temporary location with St. John’s Methodist Church at the corner of Old Pecos Trail and Cordova Road. All are welcome.