March 9, 1930 - January 7, 2014
Brian was born in New Westminster and grew up in Ioco, BC. He graduated from the University of Toronto with a Degree in Library Science. He traveled the world before starting his career at Vancouver Public Library then SFU when it opened in 1967. After Brian retired as a Librarian at SFU, he volunteered for many years at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. He resided in North Vancouver and Downtown Vancouver at Thurlow/Davie Street, then a quieter retirement at his beautiful summer waterfront cottage in West Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast.
He was admired for his wonderful personality and extensive garden of bamboo with other exotic plants at his cottage where he often hosted many unforgettable, fun potlucks attended by friends of the S.C.G.A.L.A@yahoogroups (Collin, Richard, German, Harry, Bill and Gerry and others); the Chinese Garden (Donna, Margaret and Constance, JamesYu, Kathy and others); SFU (Gail Tesch and the team); and old friends ( Dree, Margaret Coe, Sam, Len, David Ross, Rob St. Clair and others).
In 2007, he moved into The West condominium at Davis Bay, overlooking the Strait of Georgia and Vancouver Island, after which he got married and spent his last six happiest years with Avi and other friends on the Coast (Louise Spence, Wendy, Coroll, Carol Oriley, Pam, Paul, Claus, Frida, Stephanie, the Carols, Josephine and Glen Geary and others). He is survived by his Trinidadian spouse Avinash Dindial; nephews Ron Pare, John and Melva Phillips; niece Karen and John Kroeker and their families. Our beloved Brian F. Phillips will forever be in our hearts and will be missed by his family, old and new friends (Wesley Jenkins, Richard Bentley Corry KaLung Cheung, Brian Brooke and Thomas Mortimer). The family thanks the staff of St. Mary’s Hospital and Sechelt Home Support for their kindness and loving support.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 2pm on Sunday, March 23, 2014 at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, 578 Carrall St., Vancouver. All his friends, family, coworkers and associates are invited to attend. Contact: avinashdindial@hotmail.com or 604-356-7763.