Obituary of Wilson Campbell Phillips

WILSON_C. PHILLIPS, PEng (1925-2005) who had retired to live in Lumsden SK died in a Regina hospital on Friday night 29 April 2005. He was 79. Wilson was a professional civil engineer and spent much of a working lifetime as a builder of country elevators for both Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and United Grain Growers, in his time two of the world's largest grain marketing cooperatives. He also built two houses for his family, summer cottages and schools besides managing an oilseed plant, a farm machinery agency, and directing construction programs for the Saskatchewan provincial government, the Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and many others including several First Nations. When he had time he became a distance runner, a game bird hunter and a fisherman in all seasons. He was a good brother, husband, father and grandfather as well as favoured uncle to several generations of an extended family. With his wife Shirley he built strong friendships; every house he built soon became a home and he and Shirley were well known for their generous hospitality. Wilson was born in Regina on 5 June 1925 to Whitman and Mamie (Wilson) Phillips, pioneers who had settled in Regina in the city's early years. He was named Wilson Campbell after his mother's family and he bore the Scottish connection with great pride. During the Second World War he trained for the RCAF bomber group but the war ended soon after he took his wings and he was discharged as a Pilot Officer. He studied engineering at University of Saskatchewan and graduated in the civil engineering class of 1951. He then married Shirley Durie, a farmer's daughter from Moose Jaw and a fellow university student and they had a family of three. Wilson began summer vacations at Lumsden Beach when he was a child and after he married built cottages at that beach on two separate occasions and greatly enjoyed with his family the beach life. He was looking forward to being able to take part in the resort's centennial celebrations planned for this July when he was stricken with a pneumonia which with complications claimed his life after a brief hospitalization. He is survived by Shirley, two sons David (Rhonda) of Lumsden and their three sons, Iain, Colin and Ross: Scott (Vickie) of Calgary and their two, Geoffrey and Kerrie; and daughter Laura (Scott) McArthur of Calgary. He is also survived by two brothers, Robert (Tanyss) of Saskatoon and Hugh (Joan) of Kelowna BC and their families. In addition survivors include Shirley's siblings: George (Ruth) Durie of Moose Jaw, Allan (Dorothy) Durie of Calgary, Robert (Jo) Durie of Victoria and their families as well as extended relatives on both sides of their family. Shirley's sister Joyce and her husband Meldrum Blyth of Medicine Hat, AB are deceased. A memorial service conducted by Darrell Reine of Regina Beach United Church will be held at St. Andrew's United Church in Lumsden on Saturday, 7 May at 3 p.m. with a reception to follow. The family requests no flowers please but suggests that anyone who wishes may make a memorial donation to the Dr. Paul Schwann Centre in Regina. Speers Funeral Chapel and Crematorium of Regina are handling arrangements.