December 22, 1909 - May 5, 2012
Phyl’s best friend when she was growing up was Ruth Hollingworth - in fact they remained best friends until Ruth passed away some five years ago. By all accounts, they were a couple of tomboys and were always being scolded for unladylike behaviour, such as climbing trees, jumping off roofs and tobogganing down the local hill!
Phyl always enjoyed taking care of poultry and animals, both in her growing up years and later in life. When it came time to choose a career, she decided that she wanted to become a poultry farmer, so she applied for a residential course for young ladies, to learn practical poultry husbandry at Miss Harrison-Bell’s establishment, in Hertfordshire.
Once qualified, Phyl’s adventurous spirit asserted itself, and she applied for a job north of the border, at the University of Edinburgh,looking after poultry used in research. There a certain Scotsman, working on his PhD in animal genetics, caught her eye! After a lengthy courtship in the Scottish capital - where a favourite, and inexpensive, date was to stroll through the streets of Edinburgh, chatting and sharing a quarter of a pound of crystallized ginger - Phyl married James Wilkie (Jimmy) on April 30, 1938. As wartime austerity was in effect, the marriage ceremony was followed by a very modest celebration, with just the parents of both bride and groom, plus the bride’s sister and the groom’s brother, in attendance.
During their early years of marriage, Phyl and Jimmy moved frequently, as Jimmy was involved with the Young Farmers’ Club organization, at that time. On March 3, 1942, their son, James Michael Mackenzie (Jim) was born and on July 30, 1943, their daughter, Diana Mhairi (Di) arrived.
After several moves in the Leicestershire area, in the early fifties the family moved south, settling by the River Thames, just outside Reading. Living on a spacious, one-acre riverside lot meant that there was plenty of space for Phyl to indulge her twin loves of both poultry and gardening. She also enjoyed rowing on the river and swimming in the river!
Phyl was always very hospitable, enjoying the company of friends as well as family. She enjoyed having friends stop by for a visit; as she spotted those she knew heading upstream, she would call out to invite them to come for tea on their way back. By the time they were heading back downstream, she would have fresh scones baked and the kettle on the boil!
In 1966, on April 2, Phyl’s son Jim married Judy Marie Grindley, and on June 1, 1968, daughter, Susan Janet (Sue) was born. Four years later, on November 29, 1972, son, David Michael arrived. Her two grandchildren were a particular delight to Phyl and she loved to spend time with them. Throughout her life, she always took pride in the activities and achievements of all family members.
In the summer of 1979, when both grandchildren were still quite young, Phyl’s husband, Jimmy was diagnosed with cancer. He died that same year, on November 4. After forty-one and a half years of marriage, Phyl found herself alone, but rather than sitting around and feeling sorry for herself, she decided that the time was right to make a move to Chipping Sodbury, to be closer to Jim and Judy, Sue and David. Here she made many new friends, again joining the Women’s Institute - she was a WI member for more than fifty years during the course of her life, serving for a while as president. As well, she also helped out at the Tilbert Lunch Club, became a member of the Historical Society, and was a regular attender at St. John’s Church.
When daughter Di married William Reed (Bill), on September 12, 1987, Phyl acquired a Canadian family consisting of step-granddaughter, Diane, and Doug (married to Elaine). In the early nineties, three step-great-grandchildren arrived - Roxanna, Anthony and Alexander. In later years, Phyl particularly enjoyed her visits to her Canadian family.
On September 30, 1989, Phyl’s granddaughter, Sue, married Paul Giddings. Sue and Paul’s joy was made complete when, on March 9, 2004, Lily May was born to them. Phyl was delighted with great-granddaughter Lily and loved having her come to visit. Sadly, just one week after Lily’s birth, Phyl’s son-in-law, Bill, died. A very happy occasion was when Phyl’s grandson, David, married Esther Mars, on April 24, 2010.
For Phyl, the best times were always family gatherings and get-togethers with friends. One such family gathering was the belated celebration of her 90th birthday. Still adventurous, even at that great age, Phyl opted to go high-flying! Squeezed together in the basket of a hot-air balloon - thankfully safely tethered to the ground throughout the flight - the eight of us shared an unforgettable experience, on that clear and sunny day in June, 2000! (December would certainly not have been a good month for such a flight!)
Another unique experience occurred for Phyl during one of her visits to Vancouver Island. Through a friend who taught at Chemainus Native College, Phyl got to know a number of the aboriginal students there. They all thought so highly of her that later, at a picnic celebration, the chief of the Chemainus Native Band made her an honorary elder.
For many years, Phyl lived independently in the heart of Chipping Sodbury. She enjoyed her garden and she enjoyed her friends and acquaintances, some of whom she had met when they leant over the stone wall to admire her garden. However, shortly after Phyl celebrated her ninety-third birthday, big changes were about to take place in her life.
One cold and frosty Thursday morning, on her way to church, Phyl slipped on some ice, cunningly camouflaged by a skiff of snow. After the fall, it was discovered that she had broken her hip. This necessitated a three-week stay in Frenchay Hospital. In all her ninety-three years, Phyl had never been hospitalized; nevertheless, she faced this new challenge in her usual positive way, declaring that she was really rather enjoying all the attention! It was after her time at Frenchay, that it was decided that she needed the care only a nursing home could provide.
Phyl had always maintained that, if ever the day came when she needed to go into a nursing home, The Heathers would be her first choice. We were all really happy that there was a room available for her, at The Heathers, when she needed it. From February, 2004, until the time of her death earlier this month, The Heathers was her home, in more than just name. Those who cared for her became her special friends and Phyl would certainly have wanted us to express her heartfelt thanks to each one who did so much for her over the years.
In her own quiet, unassuming way and with a keen sense of humour, Phyl touched many lives - not only those of her immediate family, but also the lives of all those with whom she came in contact.
Psalm 90 reminds us that, ‘The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength….they quickly pass, and we fly away.’
The length of Phyl’s days far exceeded the seventy or eighty years just mentioned; her earthly life of more than 102 years was a life well-lived and a life lived to the full, but now it has drawn to a close. Phyl will be greatly missed by us all….
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