Happy Birthday, Al Stewart!

Today is Al Stewart’s birthday. Why not take a listen to the 1973 Swan Song concert, (particularly Purdue President Hansen’s remarks about Al Stewart), watch Those Were The Days, or review his obituary below.

Albert P. Stewart, 83, died at 3:45 PM Thursday, Jan. 24, 1991, in his West Lafayette residence. He had been in failing health for several years. Born Sept. 15, 1907, in Lafayette, he spent most of his life in this area. He married Charlotte L. Friend in Jamestown, IN, on June 25, 1933, and she died July 19, 1984. He graduated from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. He was one of the founders of Covenant Presbyterian Church in West Lafayette.

Mr. Stewart was appointed director of the Purdue University Musical Organization in 1933, and was former director of the Indiana Cooperative Extension Service choir, the Varsity Glee Club, the Collegiate Singers, all at Purdue, and, following his retirement from Purdue, was director of the Al Stewart singers. He was given the title of director emeritus at Purdue upon his retirement in June 1974.

Among the honors bestowed upon Mr. Stewart were the Sigma Delta Chi Leather Medal in 1948, Sagamore of the Wabash awards in 1959, 1966, and 1969, a Kentucky Colonel in 1973, and a Distinguished Hoosier in 1971. He also was named Hoosier of the Year by the Indiana Society of Chicago in 1973. He was the emcee of the 1956 Republican National Convention.

Mr. Stewart held honorary memberships in the Lafayette Rotary Club, Kappa Kappa Psi national band honorary, Reamer Club at Purdue, Indiana Livestock Association, and the Society for the Preservation of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America.

He was a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity, Royal Rosarians, John Purdue Club, PMO Club, Indiana Music Educators, Choral Conducting Guild of America, Indiana Music Teachers Association and Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society. Mr. Stewart was past national president of the Intercollegiate Music Council, past secretary of the American Industrial Musical Association, past national president-general of Church Choir Directors Association and a former director of the Marshall Field Choral Society of Chicago.

Source: Lafayette Journal & Courier - Sat 1/26/1991

From Al’s daughter Sonya:

Sept 15 would be my father’s 116th birthday. He was only 25 when finally given the chance to start his choral music program at Purdue. What a life!!

What a life, indeed!

Happy Birthday, Al!