Beverly Mae Phillips

Phillips, Beverly Mae
December 8, 1927 to January 2, 2018

(Beverly is pictured on the left with her two closest life-long friends, Phyl Rogers (middle) and Joyce Stevenson (right). 

Born in Vancouver, B.C. to Edward (Ted) and Alta Phillips. Sister to Ken and Bill Phillips; predeceased by brother Jack Phillips in 1974. Remembered and sadly missed by sons Tom (Michele) and Ken McKee of Vancouver, and daughter Susan (Doug) Bradley of Penticton. Also grieving her loss are Beverly’s grandchildren: Spencer and Cameron McKee of Vancouver; Andrew, Stephen, Philip, Elizabeth and Clive Bradley of Penticton; and great-grandchild, Cayden Bradley.

Though Beverly moved to Penticton in 2009, she always considered Vancouver to be her home. With a love and talent for writing, Mom wrote many stories about her growing up years in “young” Vancouver. Bev was a former member of the Brock House Society Writer’s group.

As a young woman, Bev began work at the BC Telephone Company in downtown Vancouver. She recounts a story during World War II “While seated at the Long Distance switchboard one afternoon, there was an enormous explosion which shook our office, as well as all the buildings across the street. We could
hear all the plate glass windows falling into the street. I told the operator I was talking to that I thought we were being bombed. Fortunately, it turned out we were not being bombed, a ship had exploded in the harbour a few blocks away”.

Many life-long friendships were formed during these years at BC Tel. Later Bev trained and worked as a Real Estate Agent (Block Brothers), Property Manager, and Realty Appraiser. Her final working years were spent as a bookkeeper at several companies in Vancouver. Mom loved working, and was not ready to retire until the age of 72!

In addition to writing, Mom loved to sew, ballroom dance, play a good game of Bridge, and enjoy a nice cup of tea with friends and family. Her first words upon the arrival of a guest were usually “I’ll put the kettle on!”.

The family has many happy memories of time spent with Mom at places like Spanish Banks and Stanley Park (one of Mom’s favourite childhood places). Mom’s wisdom, love, and spice of life will live on in our hearts and memories. She is dearly missed.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Haven Hill Retirement Centre in Penticton for their excellent and loving care of Beverly over the last 6 years.
Burial and brief graveside service to be held in Vancouver, B.C. at Mountain View Cemetery, January 19, 2018 at 2:00pm.

 Service Information