David Stevenson, 78, of Ottawa, Ontario passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Thursday, December 11th, 2025.

Dave was born on August 25th, 1947, to parents Eric and Rose (Burrows) Stevenson in Luton, England. The family moved to Renfrew, Ontario when Dave was 11 and he fell in love with the outdoors and the Ottawa Valley. Over the course of his life, Dave studied at Carleton University and Algonquin College, and worked in construction, communications, and IT.

Dave was known for his great sense of humour and lively, playful spirit. In his younger years he enjoyed adventurous travel, mountain biking, and hiking. Later in life, he shined when dancing, singing, playing guitar and harmonica, enjoying nature, and making his family laugh. An active and dedicated judoka, Dave was a black belt Judo instructor, deeply admired by his students. He frequented national and international competitions throughout his Judo career.

Dave was predeceased by his parents, Eric and Rose Stevenson. He will be dearly missed by many, including his two loving children, Shane and Cassandra Stevenson, as well as his three siblings, Mike, Anne, and James, and several nieces and nephews.

All are welcome to a celebration of life in honour of Dave on Sunday, December 21st from 1-4pm at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 593 – 4026 Old Richmond Rd, Nepean, ON.

Dave lived with Alzheimer’s Disease in his final years, as such his family is suggesting donations in his memory to one of the following organizations:

Canadians for Leading Edge Alzheimer’s Research, a research organization dedicated to understanding and treating Alzheimer’s Disease. Donations in memory of Dave can be made here. 

Garden Terrace Long-Term Care Home, where Dave spent the last couple years of his life. Dave’s family would like to thank the patient, kind and sensitive Garden Terrace staff for supporting Dave and their family with such compassion. If you would like to donate to Garden Terrace, cash or e-transfer will be accepted at Dave’s celebration of life, or those who are interested can reach out to the family directly to arrange a donation.