Irwin D. Stewart was born on December 17, 1904, in Irwin, Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor's degree in English and Mathematics from Muskingum University in 1925 and his master’s degree from the University of California (undated). Stewart was an associate professor of mathematics at Whitman College from 1930-1946. A photography hobbyist, Stewart would take photos of the college that appeared in college publications. He also assisted in stage lighting at the Little Theatre of Walla Walla. Stewart was on a leave of absence from Whitman College, finishing his doctorate degree and teaching summer courses at the University of Washington, when he drowned in Lake Washington on July 21, 1946, at age 42. He was survived by his wife, Mildred Stewart, and sons, David and Michael, who were living in Walla Walla at the time of his death.