SALT LAKE CITY — D. Michael Stewart, a former Salt Lake County commissioner and one-time Republican candidate for governor, died Friday at his home in the Avenues. He was 71.
Colleagues and his wife of 48 years, Betty Lou Stewart, remembered his lifelong passion to help others improve themselves. In his 12 years as a county commissioner, his most notable legacy was starting a volunteer program that gained national recognition.
Fellow commissioner Bart Barker was skeptical at first, but the program enlisted more than 12,000 volunteers.
"It turns out volunteers can do things you couldn't hire someone to do," Barker said. "(Stewart) was an amazing man. He was really a statesman (who) knew how to work with people at all levels of government."
Tom Shimizu, who also served on the commission with Stewart, said he was a "wonderful friend" and "great mentor and tutor... We've lost one of the great people in the state of Utah."
Stewart studied political science and history at the University of Utah and earned a PhD from Wayne State University. A constitutional scholar sensitive to minority concerns, he taught history at BYU and developed real estate before entering politics in 1980. He gave speeches throughout Salt Lake County in 1987 to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. During part of his tenure as commissioner, he also headed the National Association of Counties.
After Stewart lost a bid for the Republican nomination for governor in 1992, he wrote four books and became director of the state Department of Human Services. He later served as mission president for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Frankfurt, Germany, and at Salt Lake City's Temple Square.
Betty Lou Stewart recalled first meeting her husband at a basketball game when he was student body president of the old South High School and she was vice president of her class at East High. Last weekend, they played tennis and hiked at Bear Lake as he took a break from writing several new books, including one on Temple Square. He traveled widely in recent years, doing consulting work and motivational speaking.
"Everywhere he worked, his goal was to help others develop their full potential," she said. "When he says your name, it's like he's giving you a hug. He lights up a room."
She also remembered her husband's fine tenor voice; he loved to sing "Danny Boy" and performed with the Utah Symphony. The Stewarts had seven children and 21 grandchildren.
There will be a viewing Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. and funeral services Friday at noon, both at the Emigration 6th Ward.
e-mail: pkoepp@desnews.com