We are saddened to announce the passing of Helen Margaret Phillips (née Duke) on 30 March 2024.
Helen was born in Glasgow on 9 July 1934 to William and Margaret Duke, the eldest of their three daughters. After the family moved to Liverpool during the Second World War, Helen trained as a state registered nurse at the Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital, Myrtle Street, winning the Gold Medal and Matron’s Prize for Practical Nursing in 1959. She did further training in midwifery at Mile End Hospital in London.
Whilst working at the David Lewis Northern Hospital in Liverpool, Helen met a young doctor, Harold Phillips. They married in 1961 and had three sons: Stephen, Andrew, and Richard.
The family immigrated to Canada in 1970, living in Edmonton for nearly 30 years, where Harold was a radiologist at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Helen and Harold retired to Victoria in 1999 where they lived happily for more than 20 years, finally moving to Vancouver three years ago to be closer to their sons. Besides taking care of her family, to whom she was utterly devoted, Helen enjoyed the company of a large circle of friends and had various interests, including golf, mystery novels, and cryptic crosswords. She kept in touch with family in the UK through beautifully written letters, long-distance phone calls, and numerous visits. She is lovingly remembered by family and friends alike.
Predeceased by her sisters Marjorie and Patricia, she is survived by her devoted husband Harold and sons Stephen (Junko), Andrew, and Richard (Maryanna). She also leaves three granddaughters, six nephews, and five nieces.
In lieu of flowers, we invite you to make a donation in Helen’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Society of British Columbia, Canadian Feed the Children, or the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation.