Stephen W. Denison

1951 - 2025

Stephen W. Denison
09/24/1951 - 12/17/2025
Stephen W. Denison, 74, of Sausalito, CA died of a cardiac event December 17, 2025. He was born in 1951 to Shirley and Raymond Denison on Long Island, NY and raised in Michigan and Northern Virginia. After high school he worked three seasons as a deck hand on Great Lakes freighter ships that transported coal, iron ore, and limestone from Duluth to many steel producing ports on the Great Lakes including Detroit and Chicago.
He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY then headed to San Francisco in his classic VW bus. There he worked for Hyatt hotels and then had a 35-year career with Dan McCalls Catering and Events. Steve was one of the founding members of the management team that built the company into the successful premier institution it is today. He began as Director of Marketing, then President, and finally Consulting Director. During his years with McCalls, Steve excelled in developing a large list of loyal clients who loved working with him. He planned and oversaw the catering of thousands of corporate and social events in northern California. While he specialized in corporate parties of 500-10,000 (yes, ten thousand!) people he also handled many of San Francisco's signature galas including The Symphony, Ballet, Opera, Fall Antiques Show, Black and White Ball and many more. He later developed McCall's consulting arm providing catering planning services for corporations around the United States.
An avid world traveler and sailor, he recently crewed on the tall ship Barque Europa around Portugal, France, the Mediterranean, and Antarctica. Over the years he owned several sailboats and a classic wooden cruiser The Margarita.
In retirement Stephen was active in the local Marin community, serving on the Rotary, volunteered weekly at the Food Bank at Canal Alliance, rowed daily at Open Water Rowing in Sausalito, and helped with local sailing organizations. He was a member and a Deacon at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Tiburon. He supported social justice issues including gun control, homelessness, human trafficking, immigration and cared for others in need.
Tall in height (6'4") and in personality, he will be dearly missed by his family and friends. Steve is survived by his sister Rae Denison (Michigan), brother Gene Denison (Michigan), brother Andrew Denison (Northern Virginia), niece Anna Bosin (Alaska), grandniece Rae Bosin (Alaska), nephew Andrew Saavedra (Northern Virginia, and his dear sweet love Barbara Rowe (Mill Valley), and long, longtime bestest friend Michael Wolf (NY City).
A celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2026 at 11 am at Westminster Presbyterian Church 240 Tiburon Blvd. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Canal Alliance, 711 Grand Ave., San Rafael 90901 or to Westminster Presbyterian Church.