Clifford Thomas Phillips, the son of James and Jennie Phillips, was born in Tugaske, Saskatchewan July 24, 1921. He and his brother Archie were raised on the farm at Abbey and attended Roe School. As a young man, he worked for ranchers and farmers in the area, rode horseback to dances with his guitar over his shoulder and eventually met Dorothy Joan Watts of Hazlet, who was to be his wife of sixty four years. They were married June 30, 1946. Farming was to be their life as they eventually settled in the Roe district and began to raise a family. Their six children included Muriel, 1948, Victor 1949, Beverly, 1951, Maureen, 1952, Cameron, 1955 and Perry, 1963.

Through Muriel’s death as an infant, the trials and challenges of farming, the feeding of cattle during long winters, getting kids to school and 4-H; along with the excitement of driving his snow plane, the pleasures of cattle drives across the Great Sand Hills, family gatherings and cribbage games during holidays, the installation of electricity and plumbing, Clifford persisted steadfastly to fulfill his role as head of the family. Along the way he engaged in numerous and varied activities, such as leather work and tooling, working with horses and dogs; he took on other endeavours including painting and AI work; put great energy into organizations that he believed in, such as the National Farmers Union; and continued to support community organizations, including the Roe District and the Senior Centre in Cabri. Clifford enjoyed exploring too, and took the family on various trips to Vancouver, the Island, and east to Manitoba. But always, he was a devoted and loyal citizen of Saskatchewan, proud of its history and confident in its future.

Dorothy and Clifford had many trusted and lifelong friends. They attended countless foul suppers, community celebrations, weddings, anniversaries and funerals. Clifford, having passed away on November 14, 2010, is survived by his brother, his loving wife, their children and partners, ten grandchildren, and four great grand children. His family and community will continue to reflect on his long and productive life with love, respect, gratitude and fond memories.

A memorial service will be held for Clifford on Saturday, November 27 at 2:00 pm in the Senior Centre in Cabri. Please send any donations to: Roe Community Hall, Box 146, Abbey, SK, S0N 0A0.