Obituary for Peter Stevenson
Peter Stevenson, February 1, 1951 to December 7, 2022
Pete died on December 7, 2022. He was the love of my (Niki’s) life for 45 years. His family was alongside him, and he was in his favourite of all places, the farm. Pete was born in London England in 1951. He graduated from Manchester University Medical School and became a general surgeon in the Royal Air Force based in England, with short tours in Northern Ireland and Belize. Subsequently, he worked for a time in family practice but his true love was surgery, and in 1988, we ventured across the Atlantic to William Jackman Memorial Hospital in Labrador City, where he spent 5 years as the sole general surgeon. This “temporary” adventure turned into a permanent proposition and he moved to St John’s, Newfoundland to complete a residency in Orthopaedic Surgery where he practised for another almost 5 years, eventually specialising in Orthopaedic Spinal Surgery at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario from 1997 until he gradually retired around 2018. We had begun to think about retirement in 2010 when Pete and I decided that farming would be an excellent option for our golden years (crazy or what?). Our farm in Walter’s Falls was built up over hard-working weekends until we could move there permanently, and through mentorship from our neighbours, lots of on the job learning and sheer luck, we managed up to 200 sheep, cultivation of the land and a variety of mixed animals. A near second to his farming was his love of plants and gardening. His rock gardens and beds were his pride and joy, and were always a work in progress. He was a voracious reader, a cryptic crossworder and a consumer of random knowledge of all kinds.
Our son, Alistair and wife, Sarah, have helped us much on the farm, and Alistair and Pete always joined strongly over their love of soccer and their favourite team, Manchester United. There was much cheering together 3 days before he died, as England won their World Cup game. Pete was so proud to welcome is grandson, Alex, into the family in August 2022 and loved seeing him grow and develop over the short 4 months he had with Grandad.
Thankyou all the wonderful neighbours, friends, family members and professionals who supported Pete and our family during these last eighteen months – you are truly amazing. Pete was a “no fuss” kinda’ guy, and a private cremation has taken place, but a Celebration of his Life will be held in the New Year. Pete was happy for people to donate to a charity of their choice if they wished, and for details and messages contact Flesherton Fawcett Funeral Home (www.fawcettfuneralhome.ca).
Pete died on December 7, 2022. He was the love of my (Niki’s) life for 45 years. His family was alongside him, and he was in his favourite of all places, the farm. Pete was born in London England in 1951. He graduated from Manchester University Medical School and became a general surgeon in the Royal Air Force based in England, with short tours in Northern Ireland and Belize. Subsequently, he worked for a time in family practice but his true love was surgery, and in 1988, we ventured across the Atlantic to William Jackman Memorial Hospital in Labrador City, where he spent 5 years as the sole general surgeon. This “temporary” adventure turned into a permanent proposition and he moved to St John’s, Newfoundland to complete a residency in Orthopaedic Surgery where he practised for another almost 5 years, eventually specialising in Orthopaedic Spinal Surgery at Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, Ontario from 1997 until he gradually retired around 2018. We had begun to think about retirement in 2010 when Pete and I decided that farming would be an excellent option for our golden years (crazy or what?). Our farm in Walter’s Falls was built up over hard-working weekends until we could move there permanently, and through mentorship from our neighbours, lots of on the job learning and sheer luck, we managed up to 200 sheep, cultivation of the land and a variety of mixed animals. A near second to his farming was his love of plants and gardening. His rock gardens and beds were his pride and joy, and were always a work in progress. He was a voracious reader, a cryptic crossworder and a consumer of random knowledge of all kinds.
Our son, Alistair and wife, Sarah, have helped us much on the farm, and Alistair and Pete always joined strongly over their love of soccer and their favourite team, Manchester United. There was much cheering together 3 days before he died, as England won their World Cup game. Pete was so proud to welcome is grandson, Alex, into the family in August 2022 and loved seeing him grow and develop over the short 4 months he had with Grandad.
Thankyou all the wonderful neighbours, friends, family members and professionals who supported Pete and our family during these last eighteen months – you are truly amazing. Pete was a “no fuss” kinda’ guy, and a private cremation has taken place, but a Celebration of his Life will be held in the New Year. Pete was happy for people to donate to a charity of their choice if they wished, and for details and messages contact Flesherton Fawcett Funeral Home (www.fawcettfuneralhome.ca).