I am incredibly saddened and shocked to hear of Steve's passing.  We dated for a year and a half in the early 80's and kept in touch on and off in the years following.  We reconnected 20 years after our time together and it was as if time hadn't passed.  I will remember him for his passion for 80's music, that we shared, and his unique sense of humour.  No matter where we were on a Sunday he had to be home in time to listen to Ivor Hamilton on CFNY to hear the "Import Show".   We shared a passion for alternative music and dancing at the time.  I was thinking of him recently and decided to google him.  I found his obituary.  Very sad.
love you Steve,
Susan

I got my first PC back in 1998. My brother and I got obsessed with the internet and would spend hours trying to get online to the soundtrack of those dial-up modems – only for a few minutes of browsing the web, or chatting with strangers before the connection was lost and we had to start over. I lived in Brazil and back then no one took the internet very seriously or thought people could make a living off of it. I could only wonder who made those websites, crafted those cool graphics and logos. Eventually, my brother learned html to create a Nirvana fan site that he hosted on Geocities (with a guestbook and a visitor count in the footer, of course). Seeing the visitor numbers growing day after day was so satisfying I wanted to try my own hand at it. I looked for the best design references of those days, and I found The Logo Factory. I didn't know what design was, but I was drawn to it. It became my first destination for inspiration. I loved how bold the website colors were, and how expressive the logos looked. I kept coming back to see the latest from the brave people from the north that made a living off of the internet. I learned the basics of coding, started doing my own freelance design work, and joined a design school in my home town. I graduated, and started my design career working at agencies. Every now and then I would still checkout The Logo Factory website with a fond memory of early days. I eventually moved to the US to work for a big design firm, and have been enjoying a pretty fulfilling career in the area. I'm sitting at my desk, and wondering – what are they up to? – just like I used to do 25 years ago. After googling around I saw that the Logo Factory website was down, and then I found this. And that made me very sad. So I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for the inspiration, Stephen!

When we wanted to form a new political party, the American Party, Steve helped us.  Now the logo he helped create is trademarked and will endure. RIP, Steve.

This is truly sad. We follow each other on twitter. We would discuss - among other things - bands we loved and saw in our teenage and young adult years. We became close: Friends who never met face to face. We brought laughter to each other's lives. My deepest condolences to his close friends and family. I will miss him.

From Facebook
Susan McGuire Douglas to Steve Douglas
May 6 at 10:10am • 
To my dearest partner, husband and even more importantly best friend, Steve Douglas
I never post here but it seems most appropriate as you were always able to express yourself here openly and honestly. You gave me so much. My best friend, my soulmate, the love of my life. For all the chaos and hard times we struggled through together, we supported each other always. We have had the best of times mostly because we were together. Any small excursion became an adventure. Because as Matthew said you were such a big man, larger than life and he is right. You had a childlike enthusiasm for everything especially your love of family. It made our lives rich and happy. That is part of what will leave such a gap going on.
We built a happy, close knit family with special traditions that we will do our best to keep alive as they are so important to all of us but especially you. But as Amy just said that is why saying goodbye is so very hard.
I don't know what I will do without you. Your arms were my safe place. Your loss has struck me to the core. I didn't know I could feel so full of emotion but yet so empty at the same time. The pain I feel is unbearable but I bear it willingly because it symbolizes all that you alone, and we together, were. You have earned it by being the best man, friend, husband anyone could ever be.
Today we gather to say goodbye, but know that it is only until we meet again. I will always love you 
Gail Glass  ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ xxx
 • May 6 at 12:06pm

Lynn Whitaker • Friends with Steve Douglas
Send my love to you susan i went to school with steve and have talked with him on face book i have seen all your loving pictures of your family and you all look so happy and steve so proud of all of you he has said over and over my love susan he love you to bits im sorry sorry he is gone before i could meet up with you both. God bless you and your family
 • May 6 at 2:23pm

Carol Labrecque • Friends with Steve Douglas
Susan - so very sorry for your tremendous loss....
 • May 6 at 4:39pm

Jeff Kraschinski Such a tragic loss...
Steve and I had talked many times about meeting up, cracking open some cold ones, and catching up. I am so incredibly bummed that it never came to pass nor had I gotten a chance to meet you, someone who brought so much joy to my friend before his untimely passing. You and your family are in my thoughts...
 • May 6 at 8:03pm •  

Kim Morgan • Friends with Steve Douglas
Susan thank you for loving. Steven so very much and being his partner in. Lide. He indeed was a lucky man. I to am so sorry that we never met. 
Gods speed Steve Douglas strength and healing to your family. And all the others left behind who feel his loss.
 • May 7 at 2:39pm

From Facebook

Dagmar Jeffrey added a new photo.
April 29 at 10:41am 

This is one of the many ways I'll remember you, Steve. Always game for a bit of humor and fun. You're an amazing creative talent as well. I'm sure you realized that, know that the rest of us realized it too. ❤

From Facebook

Lynn Whitaker
April 28 at 9:08pm • 
We had so much fun in school rest in peace Steve Douglas

Lynn Whitaker with Steve Douglas.
• Rest  in peace steve

Paul Grant
April 29 at 1:57am • 
Steve Douglas, a previous Creative Director and Employer of mine, passed away suddenly last week. The news comes as quite a shock, as he was only in his mid 50's.
Back in the late 90's, Steve founded a small web-focused design studio called The Logo Factory, and it was where I cut my teeth in the design world shortly after college. With a handful of creatives, we took on the larger brick-and-mortar agencies in the now cut-throat arena of affordable logo design.
While the business and Steve weathered many storms, he always persevered. As an eccentric and original thinker, he and I did not always see eye to eye, but I always appreciated and respected his blunt honesty and engaging wit.
We talked briefly about getting together for a drink last year, 10 years after I had left the company to pursue other interests. Sadly, we never got around to having that drink.
My condolences to Steve's family and friends in this time of loss. And to Steve, I raise one last pint to you, my friend. Rest in peace.




James Tadeo - I was saddened to hear about this as well. My condolences to the family. Steve and I met when I was still in high school. We worked at a place called MuscleMag International! There is nothing that will make me forget the hilarity that went on at that place and for a kid (me) still in his teens it was the best place to work part time. I would agree that he was an original thinker and one who would engage his dialog with wit. He was fun to debate with and it was made the better as we would engage each other's logical fallacies. Good times indeed.

From Facebook

Dagmar Jeffrey was feeling sad.
April 28 at 9:07pm
My heart is broken twice in as many months. RIP, Steve Douglas. Shine on.
Catherine Wentworth Oh no!
 • April 28 at 9:18pm

Piers Le Sueur - Woah! Not OUR Steve Douglas?????  
• April 28 at 9:18pm

Dagmar Jeffrey - Yes. He died of a sudden heart attack this past Monday.
April 28 at 9:20pm

Piers Le Sueur - Goddammit!!!   I can't believe it!!!! Deepest condolences!
 • April 28 at 9:21pm

Jeff Fisher - I'm absolutely stunned...and so very, very sad...
 • April 28 at 9:22pm

Dagmar Jeffrey - Prayers for his wife and daughter. I can't imagine right now.•
 April 28 at 9:25pm

Susan McGuire Douglas - While our loss is profound we were assured he didn't suffer at all. The best possible for him. If only it was years from now....
 • April 28 at 9:26pm

Dagmar Jeffrey   • April 29 at 10:19am 

Nicole Block - Wait, what? Really? Omg!
 • April 28 at 9:55pm

Alina Hagen - Such shocking and sad news. My thoughts are with his family. It's so hard to believe...
• April 28 at 10:11pm

Patti Linnett-Tuttle - Omg no
• April 28 at 10:41pm

Dawn Burgess - So sorry for your losses! Hugs.
 • April 29 at 7:32am

Bruce Schneider - What?! No...
April 29 at 8:58pm

Jim Fetherston - That is awful. My thoughts are with his family.
May 1 at 9:56am

Jeff Andrews Please, the loss of my friend pales in comparison to the loss his family is feeling. Pray for his wife, Susan, and his children Amy & Matthew. He talked about them often with such affection, it was obvious he loved them very much.
• April 29 at 10:37am • Edited

Dagmar Jeffrey I think my heart is more broken for them. I can't even imagine their pain right now. Keeping them in my prayers.
 • April 28 at 9:22pm

Veronica Clevidence Of course. ..prayers for comfort for all who love him.
 • April 30 at 2:30am

Catherine Wentworth Such a shock. Steve was a longtime champion of the design industry. We spent long hours chatting about spec, lowballing, ethics, etc. He opened my eyes to many new ideas. I loved all of his clever articles on design (often about someone ripping off his logos). He was brilliant and will be seriously missed by so many. My heart goes out to his lovely wife and family (who he adored to no end).
 • April 28 at 9:33pm

Laurie Castro-Allowatt Pain. It will be your forever ache, it's a necessary evil of life.
Love and aloha to you.
 • April 28 at 9:41pm

Allan Lorde I'm so sorry, man.
 • April 28 at 9:49pm

Nicole Block I'm so beyond sad to hear this. Our community has been hit hard these past months. Love you all. I'm really grateful for having all of you in my life.
 • April 28 at 10:03pm

Keith Bowman What a tragic loss. Steve was a great guy. Prayers for his family.
 April 28 at 10:59pm

Nicholas Nawroth So very sorry to hear the news.  
• April 28 at 11:00pm

Colleen Fraser Sorry to hear this. Prayers to all who knew and loved him.
 
• April 28 at 11:52pm
James Tadeo - This was sad news and my condolences to the family. So many great things to say from the time we worked together at the same magazine (when I was in high school) to reconnecting throughout the decades then leading up to working with him again later in life. He had a quick wit and will make time to engage in a good debate. One thing I will always remember were all the shenanigans that went on at the first place where I worked with Steve. So much hilarity whenever we recounted stories about those time back in the 80s. He will be missed...sip...
 April 29 at 8:19am

Noelle McDonald   
 • April 29 at 11:15am

Marc Sylvester - Oh man I'm super sad to hear this news.
I never met steve... but he and I started our logo company's sort of at the same time. I've known him virtually for over 17 years. Really sad news

From Facebook

Glenn Funk
April 27 at 10:14pm 

I am not a man of many words but my wonderful friend Steve Douglas was and I spent many happy hours over many wonderful years working with, listening to and being inspired by a man whose depth of wisdom, character and passion never failed to amaze me. Thank you Elizabeth for sharing this wonderful tribute and giving me some words to express what blessings I have received for being even a small part of the life of such a beautiful man. You will be with me forever Mr. D., my friend.

Elizabeth Gast from Facebook
April 27 at 6:54pm • 
For those that don't know, before I got sick, I was a freelance graphic designer. I specialized in logos and brand identity development. So you can imagine that I was often on the Internet reading about just that. There were always plenty of logo based websites around, but one of them became my go to for all things. It is called The Logo Factory. Brilliantly written and so very passionate, this website became my bread and water.
Somewhere along the way I was lucky enough to befriend the person behind the words that I was feasting on. His name is Steve Douglas. Steve and I would chat about logos and croudsourcing and all things freelance design. It wasn't too long before the conversations became more about other design and we discovered that we had a common interest in animated movies, and in particular the Minions from the Despicable Me movies. We bonded and over time I got to know that his passion extended beyond both of these things to encompass his wife and children in greatness. Christmas with his family made him light up brighter than any tree. The day his daughter was married was the happiest I had ever seen him. It was pure joy that radiated off of the screen whenever he got to talk about them and I loved it. It made me feel happy to know that this kind of love and passion existed in the world. It brought me peace and so much comfort. I could never see his picture and not smile.
Steve and his wife were set to visit me here in Chicago this weekend. I was so looking forward to finally meeting my like-minded friend and feel the joy in person. All he could talk about was how he wanted to make this a wonderful trip for his wife and he and I were making plans to do just that. God, however, had other plans.
Steve passed away last Monday due to a heart attack. His wife and I met on line just now so she could tell me. It is with a heavy heart that I need to feel this loss, but I am oh so thankful that I get to. He was more than a brilliant website. He was my friend and I will miss him terribly.
For those that did know me during my freelance days, and if you knew Steve Douglas or drew strength from The Logo Factory as I did, please share a story in the comments of this post. His wife Susan is putting together a book in memorandum and I would love to fill it with messages from around the world as I know that is how far The Logo Factory reached. Come to think of it, I believe his smile did too. I am going to make this post public so that we can share it as much as possible and hopefully make that book explode with all the good that Steve brought to this world so please pass it on and help me to gather stories and I will pass them on to his beloved wife.
Rest in peace dear friend. The Minions and I will not be the same without you.

Thank you Steve for being my friend. Just knowing you were there made my life brighter. I will always treasure the days we had together. You meant so much more to me than I could ever express. Missing you every day.

We had to say goodbye way too soon and prematurely,
You will be profoundly missed by all your friends and family.
Your sense of curiosity and wonder was limitless,
The expanse of your knowledge easily surpass studious.

A creative genius on the computer screen,
Crafted unique and magical logos for all to be seen.
An industry leader, mentor and gatekeeper,
Upholding the standards by defending on Facebook and Twitter.

Your life was filled with many passions, interests and hobbies,
Expert drone flier, concert goer and 80s music groupie.
Movie buff, skilled dive master, and animal lover,
Minion collector, eye for photography, and leisure car driver.

Devoted Dad and loving husband, your best skills by far,
Taking in the simple pleasures of life with your family, never apart.
Though your departure was all too sudden,
Your tremendous impact on all of us will never be forgotten.

I have some great memories of Steve - sitting on my back deck arguing about religion, politics and everything else controversial.  Steve loved to debate and always made it a fun exercise. Vacationing in the DR was especially fun with Sue and Steve as he enjoyed meeting people and celebrating everything.  He was a very open hearted and fun loving man that also ran deep. The DR will never be the same without him. I loved his passion and commitment to his fur babies and his genuine love of nature.  Going to miss you pal.

Saddened by the passing of my cousin Steve, taken way, way too soon.  My thoughts and prayers to Susan, Amy (Alex), Matthew (Caitlin) and his parents Ella and Sam Douglas.  R.I.P. Steve.

Lovely memories of happy times in years gone by.  Love, hugs, thoughts and prayers to those who will miss you most.

I am shocked and saddened to learn of Steve's passing.I remember him fondly in my art classroom.He was so creative.Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.
Sincerely
Karen Carlson

OBITUARY

Stephen Douglas

3 May, 1961 – 24 April, 2017

Andrews Community Funeral Centre - Bramalea Chapel

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