1948-2021
This civil, gracious, and humorous man has died. He was a librarian, artist, lover of music and books, advocate, and faithful friend. Most importantly he was a husband, dad, and papa – loving, caring, supportive, ever full of questions and occasional cranky commentary.
Born in Ottawa to Sydney and Barbara in 1948 on the day of a great fire that always shadowed his birthday, Stephen moved to Edmonton and graduated from the University of Alberta. He then moved to Calgary where he and Dariel settled. He helped establish great public libraries, championed emerging artists and authors and Alberta’s arts community, and fought hard for services to marginalized people, particularly those in the gay community and those living with HIV&AIDS. He sought the truth and voiced it when he found it. He was a force.
He also never met a napkin or a pillowcase that didn’t need to be ironed. Immediately. With starch.
Stephen & Dariel travelled extensively and spent happy summer days at Kapasiwin with the Thomases. Later in life he rekindled his inner artist spending endless hours in his studio and in various drawing groups. On moving to Stratford in 2018, he found a community of readers and artists and happily puttered in his garden. He deeply relished his time close to family.
He will live in the hearts and minds of his wife, Dariel, his son & daughter-in-law, Tim & Anne, granddaughters, Aude, Eloise and Miriam, and his siblings, Todd, David (Sue), Leslie (Margie), Nancy, Kim (Randy), and his many friends and colleagues.
Stephen’s family would appreciate donations to either the Calgary Public Library Foundation at www.libraryfoundation.ca or the Stratford Public Library Foundation through the James A. Rutherford Funeral Home (Rutherford Cremation and Funeral Services) by calling 519-271-5062.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Stephen Douglas Bateman Wednesday May 26th 2021..
Rutherford Cremation and Funeral Services
Death notice for the town of: STRATFORD, Province: Ontario