Volume 85, Issue 22 Web Edition SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935
February 26, 2020
BC alum, bookstore employee
dies unexpectedly at 46
By Amber Vance
staff Writer
Bret Stewart, a BC atumnus and Kings Creek Bookstore assistant manager,
died on Monday, Feb. 17. He was 46.
Stewart had worked at the campus bookstore for just over two years. “He
was very dependable and enthusiastic,” said Adam Crane, manager of Kings
Creek Bookstore. “He had an uncanny ability to show up when I needed him.”
It was because of Stewart’s usual punctuality that Crane felt something
was wrong. “I tried calling him several times,” Crane recalled. When Stewart
did not answer. Crane phoned the police to do a welfare check at his home
where he was found. Stewart’s passing is believed to be connected to diabetic
complications.
Stewart was bom Thursday, Aug. 30, 1973 in Transylvania County, where
he lived for most of his life.
Stewart was a graduate of Brevard High School in the class of 1991. Stewart
studied at Blue Ridge Community where he graduated with honors and an
Associate of Arts degree in 2005. He enrolled at Brevard College in 2005 and
graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.
During his time at BC, Stewart received several awards which
included the Humanities Division Clara C. Gift Merit Scholarship, the
Humanities Division Scholarship and the Humanities Division Award
for Excellence in Environmental Literature, Language Studies and
American Literature. Stewart was inducted into Alpha Chi National
Honors Society and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership
Honor Society in 2006.
He continued his education earning a Master’s of Divinity from
Tennessee Temple University Seminary in 2016. Stewart obtained
a Master’s degree in Theology from Liberty University and he was
working on his Master’s in Professional Writing.
“Bret was the type of student every teacher loves to have in class,”
Associate Professor of Teacher Education Betsy Burrows said, who
taught him at both Brevard High School and here at the college. “He
was one of the most intrinsically motivated students I have taught. He
loved language, particularly reading British writers like Shakespeare
and Chaucer. He re-read “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy
every year just for the fun of it. He had a keen sense of
humor and was an amazing Dungeons and Dragons role
player. I will miss him. He was my student and my friend
and it was an honor to know him.”
Stewart was an avid reader and writer in several genres.
He wrote poetry, fiction, plays and non-fiction reviews
of trails and books. Stewart even wrote a few books
of his own like “The Dragon’s Lullaby” and “Tales of
Transylvania.”
Stewart’s smaller works were published in several
literary magazines and journals including BC’s own.
Chiaroscuro in 2006 and 2007. Stewart was also a member
of the Chiaroscuro staff in 2007. The pieces published
in the Chiaroscuro were “By the Creekside” in 2006
and “Deal Another Hand” in 2007, both of which were
beautiful in how he used rhyme and repetition of phrases
to create rhythm.
The funeral service for Stewart was Friday, Feb. 21, and
was handled by Moody-Connolly Funeral Home. He is
survived by his two sons and mother along with several
other family members and friends. Those who wish to
post memories or condolences should visit the Moody-
Connolly website, www.moodyconnollyfuneralhome.
com/.
Bret Stewart was a remarkable scholar and writer as
well as a dependable friend and loving father. Stewart
will be missed in the BC community.
Photo from www.facebook.com/
Bret Stewart