Obituary of Stewart William George Aziz
Our Stew left us on December 20, 2018, at the age of 60, after a brief illness, surrounded by the great love and affection he so deserved for a life well and ethically lived. Beloved son of the late Bill and Sophie Aziz, and son-in-law of the late John Upton, Stew is survived by his adoring wife and soul mate of 33 years, Elaine, his devoted children, Neale (Haeleigh) and Grace, and his cherished granddaughter, Frances. He will be greatly missed by his loving sisters Kathy Aziz, Debra England (Les) and Cindy Aziz (Craig Walker), his wife’s family, mother-in-law Sally Upton, and Karla Stout, Craig Stout (Suzy), Peter Upton (Jo-Anne) and Lucy Sanford (Norman), his nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, friends and colleagues too numerous to count and the family dog, Wylee. Born on April 27, 1958, in Toronto, Ontario, Stew navigated his life with devotion to family and friends, well-honed professional skill, eclectic interests, love of food and good conversation and a keen sense of humour. He attended King City Secondary School and completed film studies at Humber College. By his mid-twenties he had discovered the two passions that would frame the rest of his life – one professional and one personal. His professional work with the film and television industries, first as a cameraman and then on the business side of the industry in motion picture camera rentals with Panavision, Clairmont Camera Toronto and finally with Keslow Camera were a perfect fit for Stew. His keen eye and focus made him both technically proficient and highly skilled as a cameraman and his gregarious and principled personality and in-depth knowledge of his industry made him an invaluable asset in the corporate setting.His twenties also brought into his life, his beloved Elaine, the woman who would be his heart and soul. Anyone who witnessed their relationship saw the immense respect, devotion, love and friendship they had for each other and Stew knew exactly what he had found in Elaine. And together, they found a third passion. They took their love of family and created an exemplary one of their own with their children Neale and Grace. Stew loved being a father. He skillfully guided his son and daughter through their childhoods and their progressive steps toward adulthood, understanding his role as their father to bolster and support them always, while encouraging and allowing them to make their own decisions for the lives they fashioned for themselves. His pride in them was palpable and their love of him abiding and strong. He lives on in them and in his granddaughter.
Stew was taken from us far too soon, but we were blessed with much joy and shared experiences and a wealth of memories in the years he was ours. The true measure of a valuable human being is the way they love and give of themselves. Stew knew that intuitively. These qualities underpinned everything he did. Our thanks to all that lightened the load for Stew and his family during the past month. At Stew’s request there will be no service, but a memorial event will take place in the spring to celebrate Stew’s rich and vibrant life. Please email instewsmemory@gmail.com for further details about legacy programs in development, including gifts of familiar food for Syrian refugee families and a scholarship, as well as information about his celebration of life. Memories and Condolences maybe shared at www.waggfuneralhome.com
‘I shall look for you among the stars
In the night sky on a starry night…’
Nudershada Cabanes