John Morrow Stewart ’48

John Morrow Stewart ’48, of Denver, Colo., professor emeritus at the University of Colorado School of Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and an internationally renowned scientist in the field of peptide chemistry, died Dec. 29, 2011. He was 87. Stewart was a leader in the field of peptide chemistry for over 40 years, having authored over 400 peer-reviewed scientific works. He holds over 23 patents. Stewart was the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Peptide Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995 and the Pinnacles of Inventorship Lifetime Inductee from the University of Colorado. He received his undergraduate education at Davidson and his master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1952. He started his professional scientific career at The Rockefeller Institute (now The Rockefeller University) in 1952. In 1968 he moved to Denver to join the CU School of Medicine faculty. Stewart served in WWII in the U.S. Army and was stationed in the European Theater. In 1949, he married Joyce Lorraine Clark, who preceded him in death. He married Laima Taraseviciene, Ph.D., 3690 E. Dartmouth Ave., Denver, CO 80210-6614, in 2000. He is survived by his wife and daughters, Ellen E. Stewart and Susan E. Stewart; his son, David C. Stewart; his granddaughters, Anne M. Stewart and Laura E. Stewart; and his stepdaughter, Agne Taraseviciute. Stewart was an elder at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church and a member for over 40 years. He had a lifelong passion for orchids and received several grants from the American Orchid Society. He grew orchids at his home as a hobby. He collected and cultivated orchids from all over the world.