JOHN WILLIAM (BILL) PHILLIPS

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JOHN WILLIAM (BILL) PHILLIPS After a brief courageous battle, Bill passed away on July 21, 2006 at St. Boniface Hospital with his loving wife Faye, at his side. He is survived by his wife Faye; stepsons, Scott and Craig Crawford and granddaughter Emma; brother Tim (Izabel); nephew John of London, ON; sister Jacquie (Rod) Bartlett of Seoul, Korea and mother Shirley Phillips (Campbell) of Arborg, MB. Predeceased by father John T. (Jack) Phillips in 2003; uncles and aunts, Terry (Jean) McConnell, Jack (Betty) Campbell, Keith (Jean) Campbell, Rick (Dwyla) and numerous cousins who were all very dear to Bill. Bill was born on January 7, 1952 in Teulon, MB. Father, Jack joined Memorial Gardens and in 1956 was transferred to London, ON. Bill enjoyed a great childhood with a loving home and was able to travel frequently to the cottage at Harcourt Park to visit his grandparents. In the summers he was able to visit his other grandparents on the farm in Teulon. Here he became great friends with his Uncle Rick and this friendship continued throughout his life. With all of these trips as a child, travel became one of his greatest passions. In 1965 the family moved to Toronto, ON. Bill excelled in school and made many friends. Most of the time the house would be full of kids, laughing and listening to the Beatles. His friends gave Bill the nickname Farmer . Like a bee to honey, Bill attracted many friends. He went on to the University of Toronto and graduated with a B.A. Bill had a sense of adventure and turned away from the business world. He loved summers working on the farm and being outdoors. He worked in factories, painted cottages, in the mines at Snow Lake, MB and commercial fishing on Lake Erie, and teaching the mentally challenged. Between jobs Bill would pursue his love of travel, across Canada by train, throughout the US to the Caribbean. He spent 1978 in Europe, meeting brother Tim and sister Jacquie who were also traveling. Still not satisfied he made two trips to Australia and New Zealand. Bill decides to follow his father's footsteps and joined Memorial Gardens as a salesman, in 1982. With his likeable personality he finds success and soon becomes branch manager, taking him from Oshawa, Brockville and on to Saint John, NB. It is here he meets Faye, who quickly becomes the love of his life, along with her two sons, Scott and Craig Crawford. Bill and Faye married on July 1, 1989 and settled first in Whitby, ON. Bill is then transferred to Thunder Bay as Branch Manager, buys a home and enjoys his family life. After seven years Bill leaves Memorial Gardens and moves to the province he loves, Manitoba. He found work as Produce Manager at the local Arborg IGA and meets many new people and makes many new friends. Bill and Faye enjoyed many trips throughout the US and Canada, but their favourite places to escape were the Duck Mountains and the Shooting Star. Bill always enjoyed and looked forward to family getting together and there were many occasions. Remembering Bill, it's his laughter, smile and storytelling, his ability to make you feel at ease, people liked him and was well thought of. Bill loved his family, travel, Christmas, Halloween, old sci-fi movies, lord of the rings and computer games. The simple things, his pets, sitting on the deck, barbecuing and his den. He was taken too soon and all that knew him will miss him deeply, laugh a little less and won't forget. Memorial service to be held at the MacKenzie Funeral Chapel, Teulon, MB. On July 28 at 2:00 p.m. Interment to follow at Dundas Cemetery. Rev. Melanie Kauppila officiating. MacKenzie Funeral Home (Teulon) in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 27, 2006