Katherine Moulton STEVENS

KATHERINE MOULTON STEVENS Katherine Moulton Stevens died peacefully in Toronto on June 13, 2019. Kitto, as she was known to her family, was born on November 26, 1917 in Oakville to Gladys (née Walker) and John Guest; she was the youngest of four children. Her father was Headmaster at Appleby College, which she and her sister, Elizabeth, attended for several years, despite the fact that it was a boys' school. At the age of 12, she went to Ovenden College in Barrie, and later to the University of Toronto, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. In 1940, she married Major James G. (Hamish) Osler of Toronto, who was stationed in England at the time. Their daughters, Mary and Kathy, were born in 1941 and 1944, respectively; Hamish was killed in France in 1944. In 1947 Kitto married Major J. Hugh Stevens, who moved to Canada for exactly that purpose (and never regretted it for a moment). In addition to Mary and Kathy, they had three children, Jean (Jennie) in 1948, John in 1949, and Alison in 1951. Hugh Stevens was an executive at Canada Wire and Cable Company, and they travelled throughout the world during his career. Kitto was an outstanding golfer, and tolerated tennis for the sake of the company and five-pin bowling for winter exercise. She loved singing, and taught us many of the music hall favourites we still sing at family get-togethers. She was an excellent story-teller who specialized in accounts of mischief and derring-do. But most of all, she was our rock and centre, and her family is grateful for the many years she was with us. With all of her people she had particular, rich and sustained relationships, and we each have special and personal memories that frame her love for us and express our love for her. There is at least one memory that we all share, which is Kitto sitting in her long chair in the verandah at the white house at De Grassi Point, where she spent almost all the summers of her life. It will be called 'Kitto's Chair' for many years to come, whoever should be sitting in it. Kitto was predeceased by her daughter, Mary; her second husband, Hugh; and her first husband, Hamish. She is survived by her daughters, Kathy, Jennie (Mehmet), and Alison (John); and her son, John (Nancy; Glenda); by her grandchildren, Kathy, Susie, Rachel, Hugh, Alison (Jamie), Stephanie (Brian), Yasemin (Liam), Jem (Aimée), Sahra (Dave), Flickerine, Luke (Lizzie), Leslie (Texas), Valerie (Brendan), Alexander, Kristin (Jess), Jennie, and Danielle (Tim); and by her great- grandchildren, Thomas, Jackson, Elise, Beatrice, Clementine, Olivia, Duncan, Hamish, Callum, Lucy, William, Juliet, Emre, Kai, Zoe, Dylan, Alegria, Sam, Sterling, Ella, Cayden, and Harper. For Mira Bransby- Williams and Michèle Marteau- D'Autry, Kitto was their Canadian mother; they gave her many fond memories and much love. There will be a private interment and, later in the year, a celebration of Kitto's life. In remembrance, the family welcomes donations to the Children's Aid Society, Janet McDonald Scholarship, 25 Spadina Ave., Toronto, ON, M5R 2S9 and the Providence Health Care Foundation, 3276 St. Clair Ave. E.,Toronto, ON M1L 1W1.