Carey Stead

At the age of 90 Carey Stead died peacefully of old age. He is missed by his children Katherine and Bowen, his daughter in law Lorna, and all the friends who became part of his large extended family.

Born in Winnipeg in 1928, but brought up in Montreal. Carey was the elder son of Arthur Henry Strafford Stead, MBE, one time manager of the Dominion Board of (Fire) Insurance Underwriters and of Florence De Beauvoir Carey. Named after his father he was always known by his middle name, Carey. He had one brother, George.

At a young age Carey was sent to Sedbergh Boarding School in Montebello. It was during this time that his mother died in a house fire. In his teens he spent his summers living with relatives and working on their farm in Wetaskiwin, Alberta where he learned how to drive in a Model T truck. In his late teens he worked summers at the South Porcupine Gold mine in Ontario, and later managing a crew inspecting the railroad for Canadian National Telegraphs.

In 1946 he enrolled in the Canadian Officers Training Course and qualified as a Lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps; Captain and Major in the Royal Canadian Armored Corps of the Canadian Army (Militia). He joined the Canadian army (Supplementary Reserve) in 1964 as a Major.

Carey attended McGill University and graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts, followed by a Bachelor of Law in 1954. He was president of the McGill Outing Club and a member of the McGill students Honour Society.

He practiced law with Messrs Lafleur, Brown and Pitcher from 1954 to 1961 when he and two partners formed the law firm of Ameron, Stead and Viberg in Dorval. He was also President of the Dorval Chamber of Commerce.

In 1960 he met Margaret Smith and they were married 7 months later. They were a socially active couple with many close friends who became their extended family.

Sailing was one of his passions. He purchased a sailboat in 1977 and almost immediately embarked on a voyage from Ottawa to Montreal with his son Bowen and brother in law Bowen Smith. A voyage which disclosed to him and his crew how little they knew about the rules, practices and hazards of the sport of sailing. In consequence he joined the Canadian Power Sailing Squadron. Of which he eventually became a life member and an instructor for most of the courses offered by this nation wide organization. He specialized in Celestial Navigation.

He retired from Law at the age of 64 in order to provide his wife with the care and attention Margaret required when she fell ill with Guillane Barre Syndrome. After Margaret's recovery, he spent considerable time exploring another of his passions: Canada. He would spend half of the summer at his remote summer cabin north of Kenora, Ontario. He drove to and from Kenora in his beat up green Corolla and the journey often involved diversions that took him on long road trips across Canada. Over the years he visited such places as James Bay, Tuktiyuktuk via the Demptster Highway and Yellowknife. These trips also allowed him to document (another favourite pastime) the stories and histories of family members and close friends that he visited along the route.

He was a true character, known as a man with integrity and a dry sense of humor and he will also be remembered as a great raconteur. He was stubborn, kind and generous. We love him and will miss him tremendously.

Carey left behind instructions that there be no funeral nor any service. However, there will be reception at the Royal St Lawrence Yacht Club on February 17th from 2 to 5 pm.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the David Suzuki Foundation in his name.