Born on September 11th, 1951 in the town of Manchester-By-The-Sea, Massachusetts, Will was the only child of Richard N. Stewart and Sheila A.(MacEachern) Stewart, late residents of Pomfret, Vermont.

As a young boy, Will enjoyed rambling the many beaches and rocky coastlines of the North Shore with his buddies, adventuring as a Boy Scout, playing various sports, and visiting Vermont with his grandparents.

After graduating from American High School in Frankfurt, Germany, Will made his way back home to New England; first working construction in the Commonwealth and soon thereafter to Vermont where he married Karen (Greenslet) Stewart, also born and raised in Manchester-By-The-Sea, and whom he had known since the age of four.

Initially, along with a family that now included new addition, Stephen, Will lived a partial "back to the earth" lifestyle receiving advice, wisdom, and good-hearted ribbing from local icons like Warren "Bumpy" Bumps while also working for Frizzell Builders of Woodstock, Vermont.

His family now complete with the arrival of second son, Andrew, Will enjoyed being a member of two Revolutionary War reenactment groups, several times earning state honors for black powder marksmanship.

A lifelong Red Sox and Bruins fan, throughout his sons' childhoods, Will served as assistant coach for numerous youth teams, sometimes adding referee or umpire to his already long list of hats, and was inarguably one of the finest no-pad goalies Silver Lake has ever seen.

Always an avid reader with a curious mind, Will especially loved history; American, World, New England, and Vermont; he knew a lot about a lot to say the least.

By the late 80's and early 90's, Will had moved on to working for and alongside Harv Bumps doing masonry work throughout the Upper Valley. The longtime friends also served on the Woodstock Fire Department and Rescue Services together, not to mention donating thousands of liters of blood and plasma at DHMC over the years. The dynamic combo, always prodigious eaters, even earned a sandwich named in their honor at the Woodstock Farmers' Market, all the while entertaining all who crossed their path with their creative banter.

As the years went on, Will added several side jobs around the village of Woodstock, often mentoring young coworkers with his unique brand of knowledge, always equal parts practical and impish, while good-naturedly harassing and helping "his" customers, and doling out thousands of dog treats to his countless canine buddies.

As his working-life began to ease, Will enjoyed the realization of a lifelong passion and regularly took to the seas aboard the schooner Mary Day out of Camden, Maine. Always engaging, Will made numerous friends among the crew and passengers, many of whom returned, as he did, year after year, annually impressed by both his joie de vie and record-breaking lobster consumption.

Will is survived by his wife of 46 years, Karen, sons Stephen and Andrew, daughters-in-law Marin and Blair, along with grandchildren Dylan, Miranda, Arden, and Dashiell; as well as the countless people whose lives he touched through quiet acts of generosity and less quiet jokes.

A private family burial will be held at a later date, however a public gathering of an informal and festive nature will take place at Long Trail Brewery Saturday, October 12th, at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers or donations, Will would ask that you enjoy today, tomorrow, and each day "you're above ground."