Obituary of Judy Shirley Stevenson

Judy Stevenson passed peacefully in her sleep at the Sunnybrook Hospital on January 14 at the age of 87 under the wonderful care of the Sunnybrook Palliative care unit K wing. Judy is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, Michael, mother to Simon (Della), Guy (Dorothy) and Marcus (Fatima), and proud grandmother to George, Angus, and Curtis

Judy was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1935 and educated at the Moravian Girls School and the Northern Theatre School and taught as a speech pathologist and elocution teacher. She met Captain Michael Stevenson on a blind date in 1956 and were soon married. Together they travelled the world with the British Army, living in Gibraltar, Nigeria, Germany, Kenya, South Yemen, and the United Kingdom.

After emigrating to Canada Judy was a homemaker in Leaside and played a very supportive role to Michael as he balanced a full-time career as Director of Administration at an insurance company, and then Atomic Energy while also serving for 17 years as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Canadian Militia.   

Judy was a highly engaged member of her community in her own right. The centre of her community and social engagement was St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church where she was a member of the St. Monica’s Auxiliary Group for over 50 years including serving a term as the president. She was also the first female church warden of the parish; represented St. Cuthbert’s at the Anglican Diocese of Toronto; and was a lay reader of Synod. She and Michael also met many cherished lifelong friends through St. Cuthberts. Judy also volunteered for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of Canada, CNIB as a reader for talking books and canvassed for the Cancer Association. Mum was also highly involved in all Home and School Association meetings concerning her three sons.

Judy had many passionate interests in life; music (a season ticketholder of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Opera Company); an avid book reader; a dog lover; a regular bridge player; and enjoyed caring for her garden, which became an oasis for her and Michael to entertain friends and family.

A service will be held at St. Cuthbert’s Anglican Church on Wednesday, January 25 at 3pm.

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