Stewart Reifler
Stewart Reifler (69) of Westport, CT passed away peacefully on February 28, 2024. He was born on May 5, 1954 in Poughkeepsie, New York to Selma and Aaron Reifler. He is survived by his son, Jonathan Reifler, and daughter-in-law, Kara Popowich, their two children and his sisters and their spouses, Ellen Reifler and Mark Messenger and Sylvia Reifler and Chris Christensen. He is also survived by his former wife, Sheryl Vos.
Stewart grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY. He attended McGill University and graduated from Bard College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature. He later graduated magna cum laude from New York Law School where he was an Articles Editor of the Law Review and was recipient of the Law Review Award for Outstanding Editorial Contribution.
After law school, Stewart went on to have a successful career becoming a partner in the law firm of Vedder Price P.C. and becoming head of the firm’s Executive Compensation Practice Group in its New York City office. Stewart was an editor of several editions of the highly regarded “The Compensation Committee Handbook.”
In addition to his professional work, Stewart was a longtime resident of Westport, CT and was extremely active volunteering with different local non-profits. Most recently, he was an active-duty EMT with Westport Volunteer EMS and was a member of its Board of Directors and its Treasurer. He was EMT of the year for two consecutive years and was instrumental to the organization in many ways including co-authoring new bylaws and policies, running the annual fundraiser and being a regular on the Wednesday morning ambulance crew.
Before becoming an EMT, Stewart was a trustee of The Westport Library in addition to serving as Commodore, Treasurer, and member of the Board of Governors of the Minuteman Yacht Club. He greatly enjoyed spending time at the Ned Dimes Marina and out on the Long Island Sound with friends.
Outside of Westport, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Friends of the Franco-American Institute, where he served as its Secretary and Treasurer. He had a passion for skydiving that began in college, then after taking a 25 year break decided to pick it back up later in life. In total he completed over 300 solo jumps. He also enjoyed taking summer trips to Tanglewood to see the Boston Symphony Orchestra. His most recent hobby was target shooting with both pistols and rifles and he became an expert in gun safety.
In lieu of flowers and as a means for a final fundraiser in Stewart’s honor, please send donations to the Westport Volunteer EMS through their website: https://www. westportems.org/donate/. Arrangements were handled by Trinity Cremation Services, Stamford, CT.