CLEVELAND, OH — Darryl A. Stewart, age 67, retired Assistant United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee passed away on Saturday, April 14, 2018 in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.
A Celebration of Life service will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at 1:30 p.m. at the Fisk University Chapel, 1000 17th Avenue North, Nashville, Tennessee.
Darryl Stewart served as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice from 1989 through 2013 where he handled white collar offenses involving tax, bank, mortgage, healthcare, mail and wire frauds; money laundering; false statements and perjury, among others. He was the first African American lawyer to retire from the United States Attorney’s Office in Nashville.
Prior to being named Assistant United States Attorney, he worked with the United States Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. and in Nashville, Tennessee where he handled cases arising under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Service Contract Act, Davis Bacon Act, Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, and the Farm Labor Contractors Registration Act.
Darryl, a highly experienced trial lawyer, has appeared and argued before the Second, Sixth, Ninth and Tenth Circuits for the United States Courts of Appeals.
In 2009 Darryl, along with his long-time friend and colleague, Assistant United States Attorney, Mercedes Maynor-Faulcon, were instrumental in the success of Tennessee hosting one of the largest conferences for the National Black Prosecutors Association (NBPA). Shortly thereafter, Darryl helped form the Memphis Chapter of the National Black Prosecutors Association as well as a Youth Conference, now an annual part of the NBPA conference. During his career, Darryl has actively recruited and trained many prosecutors throughout the United States.
Darleen Blocker, friend and colleague in both offices of the Department of Labor and United States Attorney’s Office describe Darryl as a stickler for detail. He always had to have the last word on where a punctuation should go in a sentence. I will miss his calls to get advice about something with his computer and then we would spend time catching up on what’s going on with our mutual friends and former co-workers.
Retired Chief Judge William J. Haynes, Jr. commented that “Darryl Stewart was an exceptional lawyer who was a quiet leader and generous mentor to other lawyers and students who were interested in a legal career. Darryl will be greatly missed”.
Mary B. Conner, Courtroom Deputy to the Honorable John T. Nixon and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated Southeastern Regional Director recalls that having worked with Darryl for over thirty years he always appeared in court well prepared. She stated that Darryl will always be remembered as a true dedicated friend.
Mariah Wooten, Deputy Federal Public Defender adds that Darryl and I have always practiced law on different sides of the aisle. I always admired his integrity and his tenancy. I will miss the brisk and witted exchanges. I will miss Darryl.
Tribune Publisher/CEO Rosetta Miller Perry said last fall, Darryl was in her conference room with a senior citizen client and he was as usual quiet, firm and smiling all at the same time. He is already missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by the following siblings: Gwendolyn Still of Cleveland, Ohio; E. Lamond Averett of Alexandria, Virginia; Scherrie Hewitt, Berdenia Fears, Donald Stewart and Marcelyn Stewart of Cleveland, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the following organizations: Kent State University Honors College, 800 E. Summit Street, Kent, Ohio 44240; The Ohio State University Mortiz College, 55 West 12th Avenue, Columbus Ohio 43210; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, 3951 Snapfinger Parkway, Decatur, Georgia 30035; Napier-Looby Bar Foundation, Post Office Box 23121, Nashville, Tennessee 37202; or the National Black Prosecutors Association Foundation.
