The Stevenson family is sad to announce that Prof. John (Jack) Stevenson died at Credit Valley Hospital on Monday, September 9, 2024, at the age of 92.
He was passionate about family, teaching and learning, community service, and fun. He was a devoted husband to Shelagh (née Quelch); father to Melanie (Roger), grandfather to Emma, Eleanor; brother to Sylvia Ingram (Jack), David Stevenson (Nicole), Margaret Stevenson (Bernie Bernstein), Linda Phillips (Ross); and uncle to 15 nieces and nephews. He was a life-long, passionate teacher. He taught elementary school in Winnipeg before attending Brown University and becoming a professor of philosophy, first at the University of Manitoba, then for three decades at the University of Toronto.
He loved students and spent countless hours listening to their problems (both academic and personal) and developing creative pedagogical methods to help them learn. An expert in Ethics and in Epistemology, he was a pioneer in teaching applied professional ethics and also promoted our knowledge of Canadian philosophers, creating the first bibliography of their work. Jack was a deeply curious person, interested in everyone and everything. He believed in community and social justice, always rushing to help neighbours and strangers alike.
In recent years, he helped found the Senior College at the University of Toronto and trained volunteers at the Dorothy Ley Hospice.
His funeral will be held Saturday, Sept 21st at 1 pm at Church of the Redeemer, 162 Bloor St W, Toronto, ON M5S 1M4. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to The Fort York Foodbank (https://fyfb.com/) or The Common Table (https://theredeemer.ca/alt/get-involved-alternative/drop-in/), both of which serve our local communities in need.