Stuart grew up with his sister Beverly in Dix Hills, Long Island, New York where they attended Solomon Schechter Day School in Jericho. His Bar-Mitzvah was at the Dix Hills Jewish Center on Memorial Day, May 28, 1984.  Later that year, Stuart moved with his family to Coral Springs, FL, where he attended Ramblewood Middle School and graduated in 1989 with honors from Taravella High School. While at Taravella he was a member of the National Honor Society, Debate Club, a participant in Leadership Broward, JR Varsity Football, Lacrosse and was active in BBYO (B’nai Brith Youth Organization). Stuart was confirmed at Temple Beth Orr.

Stuart’s summers involved Outward Bound, Volunteers for Israel, American Jewish Social Services that cost him his spot on the football team of his senior year, and B’nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO) Leadership programs

He had a great time during his high school years at JPT!!!!

Stuart attended Washington University in St. Louis, MO. During Thanksgiving of his freshman year Stuart told his parents that he had been auditing Army ROTC classes and now wanted to officially enroll in the program. Stuart was involved in Student Government and Hillel House. Upon graduation in 1993 with a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) Stuart was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant from the Army ROTC program. Due to cutbacks in the Military, Stuart was placed in the Army Reserves.

Leaving St. Louis,  Stuart moved to Des Moines, Iowa and held various sales positions as well as starting his own vending machine business, Lilly Vending.

In 1996, Stuart moved to Los Angeles, CA to accept another sales position. While in LA he attended night law school at Loyola University and graduated in 2002 with his JD.

Stuart and Lee Anne were married August 18, 2001 and have three daughters—Lillian 6, Melissa 4 and Isadora 2, where they live on their 80 acre farm in Emmett, Idaho. After law school graduation, he moved to Idaho and was a regional representative for Thomas-Reuters Legal Division in Idaho and Montana.

Since college graduation, Stuart served in the Army Reserves and in August 2004 was called to active duty as a logistics officer at Ft. Buerhring,Kuwait where he served until October 2005 when he was promoted to Major.  In December 2007 he was re-activated to the Multi National Security Transition Command-Iraq-Logistics/Operations (MNSTC-I/J3) and arrived in the Green Zone in January 2008.

While serving in the Green Zone Stuart was an active member of B’nai Baghdad (a Jewish lay led minyan);a liaison to the Iraqi Jewish Community; a participant in the Green Zone Council--Iraqi Boy/Girl Scout Troop and a member of the cricket team amongst the multi-nationals of the Green Zone. On April 6, 2008, while working out in the Fitness Center Stuart was killed along with another officer and 17 other soldiers were wounded from an incoming mortar attack.

His brother-in-law John Nerenberg said it best. “We are only failing him if we let his message, his love for all people and commitment to change for peace, be silenced with the end of his life.”

May you consider the enormity of Stuart and his contributions; and take away with you a motivation to make at least one change in your life, your community, or humanity at large. This will be Stuart’s legacy.

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