John "Ian" Stevenson

John "Ian" R. Stevenson, 94, passed away peacefully on December 25th, 2025, with family members by his side. A longtime resident of Deerfield and more recently of Lake Bluff, Illinois, Ian was born in Nova Scotia, to parents John and Christina Stevenson (Lobban). He grew up in Rosyth, Scotland and led a long life filled with travel, golf, humor, and love for his family.
After three years of national service in the British Army, as a young man curious to see the world, Ian accepted a position at the Mercantile Bank of India, Ltd. He completed course work in economics and banking practice at the City of London College and began a fulfilling career in international banking, living in Malaysia, India, where he met and married his wife Mary Louise (Dowell), Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain before settling in Deerfield with his family. While living in Deerfield, Ian continued to travel for work in Asia and the Middle East, in addition to many trips with family to his beloved Scotland.
Outside of work, Ian enjoyed spending time with his family, golfing, reading history, and running. He is most remembered for his kind spirit, deep love of dogs, and quick sense of humor, which he maintained until his very last days. In his later years, Ian enjoyed new friendships in his retirement community, extending the joy and adventure he found in life and brought to others.
Ian is predeceased by his wife, Mary Louise, and sister, Helen McDonough (William). He leaves behind three loving children, Alexandra (Robert Graham), Ian (Julia) and Edward (Kathy) and four cherished grandchildren, Ian, Andrew, Emily and Lindsay.
A celebration of Ian's life will be held early summer. Please check back here for details. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Doctors Without Borders, one of Ian's favorite charities, or to the Alzheimer's Association.