Bruce Blakely Stewart

Bruce Blakely Stewart, lifelong educator, mentor, and advocate for diversity and social justice, passed away peacefully at his home in Chattanooga, Tennessee on January 26, 2025. He was 85 years old. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Andra Jurist. Bruce is survived by his children Kathleen Stewart Hunt (Peter), Lindsay Jurist Rosner (Jason Fox), Marney Cohen (Robert), Mark Thompson, his grandchildren Mac, Will, and Jack Hunt, Annabel Fox, and Matteo Thompson, a host of beloved nieces and nephews and a community of former students, colleagues, and friends who will carry forward his passion for education, justice, and service.
Born and raised in Lynn, Massachusetts, Bruce's passion for education was ignited early. The son of a Scottish immigrant with only a third-grade education, Bruce graduated from Lynn English High School in 1957 before earning a BA in Economics from Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina and an M.Ed. in Counseling from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. It was at Guilford that he was first exposed to the tenets of Quakerism, which became the guiding force for both his personal and professional life.
Bruce's nearly five-decade career in education was marked by an unwavering commitment to fostering opportunity for all students. He began as a social studies teacher and counselor at Walter Hines Page High School in Greensboro, NC, where he played a pivotal role in the school's first efforts at integration following the landmark sit-ins at Woolworth's. His lifelong dedication to equity in education was shaped by that experience, fueling his determination to ensure that every student, regardless of background, had access to a quality education.
He was a founding member of the North Carolina School of the Arts, where he served as its first Dean of Student Affairs and a Special Assistant to the President. Eventually, he returned to work at Guilford College where he held multiple roles, including Director of Admissions, Acting Academic Dean, and ultimately, Provost. While at Guilford, he cofounded New Garden Friends School, a preschool through 12th grade Quaker school in Greensboro, North Carolina. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in the development of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, a public boarding school in Durham, North Carolina.
In 1984, Bruce moved to Pennsylvania to serve as Head of Abington Friends School and, in 1998, he became Head of Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C., where he served until his retirement in 2009. He treasured his time at Quaker independent schools where he said he learned so much from faculty, staff, trustees and students about academic excellence, ethical leadership, and environmental stewardship. He always championed diversity, working consistently to increase financial aid and broaden access for students of all backgrounds. During his tenure at Sidwell, the historic construction of the LEED Platinum-certified Middle School set a national precedent for sustainable school design.
Bruce's influence extended far beyond institutional achievements. He was a mentor, confidant, and unwavering advocate for students, faculty, and families alike. His presence was felt in every corner of campuses where he worked—from picking up trash on his daily walks to attending Meeting for Worship, where he offered wisdom and guidance to generations of students. He listened, encouraged, and inspired those around him to strive for excellence while remaining grounded in values of compassion and integrity. As a speaker, fundraiser, and storyteller, Bruce had a rare ability to captivate audiences with his warmth, intellect, and deep love for the institutions he served.
In his retirement, he moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee to be near his daughter, son-in-law, and three grandsons. He never missed a game, competition, or race and regularly encouraged all of them to "Let their lives speak." A treasured experience for the family was the involvement of three generations in the development of the Ed Johnson Memorial, a lynching memorial with a focus on honoring the truth of the past to promote racial reconciliation.
A memorial service will be held at Chattanooga Friends Meeting at 2 p.m. on February 8, 2025, with an option to attend via Zoom, and at a date to be determined at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, DC. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Bruce's memory to any of the educational institutions mentioned above.
Bruce B. Stewart "walked his talk" every day of his life, leaving the world a better, wiser, and more just place. His legacy will endure in the countless lives he touched and the institutions he shaped with his boundless dedication and vision.