1955 – 2026
Stephen Loates was many things in his 70 years on this earth. An entrepreneur. A strategist. A photographer. A husband. A father. A traveler. A loyal friend. A boxer rescuer. A man with a sarcastic sense of humour who was often convinced he was funnier than he actually was, though somehow, if you truly knew him, you understood exactly why he was.
He was also, by his own admission and according to several former employers, entirely unemployable.
After beginning his career at the Toronto Star and being fired enough times in his twenties to recognize a pattern, Stephen realized that working for someone else was never going to fit the way his mind worked. So he built his own path instead. Over the years, he owned and operated a retail piano store for nearly three decades, launched one of Canada’s earliest and largest online harmonica stores long before e-commerce became commonplace, and later built web design, SEO, and consulting companies before eventually joining his wife Juliet at AIS Solutions.
Stephen loved building things. Not only businesses, but ideas, strategies, systems, and possibilities. He had an extraordinary ability to cut directly to the heart of a problem by asking the right questions, simplifying the noise, and helping people see things clearly. People sought him out not just because he was intelligent, but because he was steady. Logical. Thoughtful. The calm voice in the middle of chaos.
Once a business was running smoothly, he often lost interest. For Stephen, the excitement was never in standing still. It was in the challenge, the strategy, the puzzle itself. Although if Juliet ever tried to get him to work on an actual jigsaw puzzle he would go running in the opposite direction.
In recent years, however, his life shifted in quieter and more meaningful ways. Drawn to the teachings of Stoicism and particularly the phrase Memento Mori, Stephen became increasingly intentional about how he lived. He moved away from drama and gossip, choosing instead peace, purpose, meaningful conversation, and the people he loved most.
Just under five years ago, Stephen and Juliet moved just outside St. Andrews-by-the-Sea to fulfill their dream of living by the ocean. There, surrounded by salt air, photography gear, travel plans, good food, and boxer dogs, Stephen built a life that finally felt less about chasing and more about living.
Photography became one of his greatest passions. As with everything he cared about, he immersed himself completely, studying endlessly, watching tutorials, following photographers, and constantly refining his craft. He noticed light. Angles. Moments. Beauty. A camera in his hand made him come alive.
He also loved to cook and became the chef of the family. His happiest moments were often the simplest: standing beside his Kamado Joe with a good steak on the grill, a glass of Silver Oak in hand, and the people he loved nearby.
Stephen loved deeply. He hugged deeply too.
He was the voice of reason for his daughter Siera. He was a loyal and trusted friend, and the kind of man people knew they could call at 3 AM from anywhere in the world if anything had gone wrong. One friend described him best when he said, “If you measure friendship by the person you would call after being attacked in a foreign country, robbed of everything, and left bleeding in the street, Steve would be the guy.”
He believed in the philosophy of “hands up, not hands out.” He valued a few truly meaningful friendships over a thousand acquaintances. He loved books, movies, trivia, and collecting what he affectionately referred to as “more useless information than anyone I know.” He loved road trips, photography adventures, boxer dogs, afternoons spent playing crib or chess, and lunches with his ROMEO group, moments he genuinely cherished.
More than anything, Stephen loved experiencing life.
Over the last five years especially, he and Juliet embraced the world together with urgency, gratitude, and wonder. From St. Lucia, Disney, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and the beach where they married, to Paris, Barcelona, Formula 1 races, the Autobahn, Germany, Austria, London, the Galapagos, Namibia, South Africa, Alaska, Egypt, Morocco, Caribbean cruises, and Nile cruises, they built a life around shared adventure and bucket lists that never stopped growing.
There were still so many places left to see.
Gorillas. Polar bears. Icebergs.
More photography trips. More road trips. More wine. More boxers. More camera lenses. More BBQ gadgets. More sunsets. More years helping Juliet build the Kninja Foundation and future Knina Houses for women in need.
It felt like there was still so much life ahead of him.
Stephen was the only son of Stanley and Elsie Loates and was living with his wife Juliet and daughter Siera near St. Andrews-by-the-Sea at the time of his passing.
He was serving as President of the Rotary Club of St. Stephen/Milltown and, just two days before his death, became a Multiple Paul Harris Fellow, an honour reflecting his dedication to service and community.
A private family cremation will take place, with a Celebration of Life to be held in the coming months.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rotary Club of St. Stephen/Milltown or Boxer Rescue Ontario.
The world feels quieter without Stephen in it. His smile and laughter are deeply missed. But for those fortunate enough to be loved by him, guided by him, challenged by him, hugged by him, or simply seen by him, pieces of Stephen remain everywhere.
And if Stephen were here to leave one final thought, it would probably be this: Stop waiting. Book the trip. Take the photo. Pet the dog. Drink the good wine. Watch the sunset. Life is shorter than you think.
Memento Mori. Memento Vivere.
Remember you must die. Remember you must live.