Neil Stevens (7 Dec 1944 - 11 Oct 2026)

In Loving Memory of Neil Stevens

7th December 1944 – 11th October 2026

Neil Stevens, affectionately known as Dad, Pops, Grandad and Gramps, sadly passed away peacefully on Sunday 11th October 2026 aged 81.

Born in Welling on 7th December 1944 to Irene and Steve, he was the middle child to elder brother Paul, and younger brother David. Shortly after Neil was born, Steve moved to Australia with Paul, and Neil was then raised by his mum and stepdad Chas. At the age of 21 he had the opportunity to meet and reconnect with his dad Steve, as well as Paul.

In the summer of 1962 Neil met Jean, who became his lifelong partner. In 1963 they married and had their first daughter Deb, followed by their second daughter Nicola in 1965.

Neil dedicated 45 years of his working life to photographic printing, a career that reflected his practical skills, patience and attention to detail. Between work and raising two girls, they finally settled into their permanent family home in 1978.

Beyond his working life, Neil enjoyed swimming and bowls, as well as finding happiness in the simple pleasures of the great outdoors on one of his many walking holidays. He took great pride tending to the garden and pond, and in later years enjoyed birdwatching, fishing and settling down to watch Formula 1 with his son-in-law Stewart.

As the girls grew up, his nephew Jeremy was an important part of all of their lives. Then in 1994, at the age of 49, Neil became a grandfather to Charlie, followed by Hannah in 1995 and Harry in 1996. Years later he gained the cherished title of Gramps, welcoming Logan in 2017 and Emilia in 2021. Each new generation brought another special chapter to his life (and softened him!) and those special memories will stay with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren forever.

In 2023, Neil and Jean celebrated a big milestone; their 60th wedding anniversary, which was attended by the family across a long weekend in Somerset.

Neil will be remembered for his generosity, obscure knowledge, and his unmistakable love of a good puzzle. Whether tackling cryptic clues or crosswords, Neil was never one to shy away from a challenge — he even used to read the dictionary! His sharp mind was matched by his firm belief in doing things “properly”. A stickler for following the rules, he certainly kept his children and grandchildren on their toes, particularly when they were “misbehaving” – God forbid they sit on the arm of an armchair!

Above all, Neil was a much-loved husband, dad, grandad, gramps, brother and friend. His wisdom, generosity, familiar ways and quiet presence will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. Though he may no longer be with us, the memories he created, the lessons he taught and the love he gave will live on through the generations of his family.

He will be forever loved, forever missed and always remembered.

Neil’s preference would be that you don’t buy flowers for him but if you would like to make a donation towards either of his two chosen charities, you can do so with the links provided.

Thank you for helping us celebrate Neil’s life.