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In memory of those who have Crossed the Bar
PEDERSON, Stephen Alan - Our loss multiplies with every passing hour. Peacefully and suddenly, though not unexpectedly, in the smallest hours of August 19 with his wife by his side, his daughter en route, and his grandsons on his mind. He was correcting grammar just hours before. Steve was born in 1935 in rural Alberta, the son of a Danish dairy farmer and a fiesty, artistic mother who both encouraged their son’s creativity. He was the first in his family to graduate high school, but he didn’t stop there: he went on to complete a university degree before having a decent number of adventures in England and at home. He became a teacher and one of the first English profs at Centennial College in Toronto - the stories of his inventive teaching tactics are legend in his family. Music was his first love though and in his 30s he dedicated himself full time to playing the flute. This led him to Halifax in 1969 where he played in the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and participated in many musical collectives. The eighties brought change: the orchestra “went toes up” as he liked to put it. To support his young family he started writing reviews for the Chronicle Herald and continued to do that until his retirement in 2013, building a reputation for being fair and kind in his assessments and for sharing his deep knowledge of music and theatre in an accessible, thoughtful and humorous way. Steve had an enormous intellect and curiosity: he would have a half dozen books on the go at any given time and enjoyed a good argument about just about anything. He cared deeply about his family and about the arts and possessed a childlike wonder about the world, consuming books and ideas with unmatched appetite. He is survived by Virginia, his wife of 40 years, who was devoted to him and to whom we was devoted; daughter Katy who adored him and inherited his insouciance and curiosity, among other things; son-in-law Mark, who enjoyed his company for 16 years; grandsons Henry Malcolm and Alexander Stephen, with whom he shared a love of Harry Potter and cookies; and a large extended family. Cremation has taken place. A celebration of life will take place in September with family and friends. In lieu of flowers or donations please take an action in keeping with Steve’s loves and values: go for a bike ride, read to a small child, drink a coffee and read a book, or attend a live concert or play.
Cadet Pederson's ashes were committed to the sea in a ceremony on HMCS SACKVILLE on 21 Sep 2020
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