Gary Stewart, whose career as an Associated Press photographer took him from Mount St. Helens’ massive 1980 eruption to the devastating Yellowstone fires of 1988, has died at age 72.

Gary died March 30 in Sheridan, Wy., where he had lived with his wife for the past four years.

Born Feb. 26, 1952, to Ruby and Grover Stewart, he grew up in Puyallup, Wash. As a teen, he earned money working in the raspberry and bulb fields of the Puyallup Valley.

He attended Central Washington State College, where he enrolled in every available photography course, developing his lifelong passion.

Gary started his own business after college, photographing weddings and youth sports events. He secured work as an AP photo stringer, then was hired as a full time photographer in the Seattle AP bureau.

After AP, he developed Cedarwind Farms near Snoqualmie, Wash., where he and his wife operated a retail hay business and raised horses.

He is survived by his wife, Kathy McCarthy; his brother Ronald Stewart and sister-in-law Colleen Stewart of Bellevue, Wash.; brother Bob Stewart and sister-in-law Donna Stewart of Olympia, Wash.; two nieces, one nephew and eight grandnieces and grandnephews.

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Kane Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.

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