Obituary of Barbara Phyllis Kirkpatrick

KIRKPATRICK, Barbara Phyllis (née Copper): June 27, 1921- May 26, 2018
 
Phyllis died at the age of 96 after a lengthy stay in hospital.  She will be greatly missed by her children: daughters, Louise Jones (Tim Jones), and Heather Kirkpatrick of Saskatoon and son, Neil Kirkpatrick (Leslie Walker) of Edmonton, grandchildren: Elisabeth Bartlett (Mitch Daschuk), Carolyn Bartlett (Bosco Bakunzi), Neil Jones (Mattea Delane), Laura Jones (Ludovic Piejos), Hilary Kirkpatrick (Mike Maisonneuve) and Gillian Kirkpatrick (Aline Belanger) and great-grandchildren: Dahlia, Skyla, and Leona.
Phyllis is predeceased by her husband of 59 years, Clarence (Kirk) Kirkpatrick who retired as Senior Partner of Price Waterhouse in Saskatoon in 1978, her father Wing Commander E.E. Copper, mother Clare Louise (Cuthbert) Copper, sister José Brydon (David Brydon), niece Sarah Brydon and nephew Richard Cunningham.
Phyllis is survived by her first cousins Ernie Copper and Clara Reid and nieces and nephews: Jane Towne, Beverley Kirkmorris, Robert Gergley, and Michael, Lauri and Anna-Marie Cunningham.
Phyllis will also be missed by dear friends Carol and Ken Shipley of Ottawa, Willette Neijmeijer, Diane Gossen, Laurel Chelsom, Anne and John Stephenson, Inger and Bill DeCoursey, Shelley Turk, Kirstie Prefontaine, Blair and Linda Campbell, Jack MacDonald, and Grace Boyle of Saskatoon, Barb Maduck of Toronto, Jessie and Jimmy Lindsey of Scotland, and Peter Neijmeijer of The Netherlands. Wonderful friends Ida Wasson, Elinor Stinson, Mary Abley, Marlene Howard, Maria Neijmeijer, Dorothy Duxbury, and Charles Johnston predeceased Phyllis.
Phyllis was born in Farnborough, Hampshire, England. Phyllis grew up on the Royal Air Force base in Aboukir, Egypt, where her father was stationed. Phyllis lived in Egypt and England until moving to Canada in 1946. After completing school Phyllis worked briefly as a secretary before enlisting, at age 20, in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in radar operations. Phyllis and Kirk met in England during the war and they were married in 1945, shortly after VE Day. In 1946, she sailed to Canada on the RMS Aquitania with many other war brides, docking at Pier 21 in Halifax, before setting out on the long train trip to western Canada.
Phyllis and Kirk lived in the City Park area of Saskatoon for almost all of their lives together. Phyllis was involved in the community as an active member of the congregation of Knox United Church. She was engaged, over the years, in a broad range of church activities, including the church nursery and kindergarten programs, Fellowship House, the Riverside Unit of the United Church Women (UCW), and as a member and chair of the Social Action Committee, where she led and participated in a number of outreach projects. Phyllis was also active with the Presbytery of the United Church of Canada. Volunteer activities apart from the church included Meals on Wheels and John Dolan School. She was also active in sponsoring newcomers to Canada and she enjoyed tutoring them in English. Phyllis also volunteered with Grandmothers for Grandmothers Saskatoon.
Phyllis was an avid reader with interests in many areas. She loved words and language. She studied at the University of Saskatchewan, taking French, English and Spanish classes over the years. She passed on her love of lifelong learning to her children and grandchildren. Phyllis loved music of all kinds and particularly enjoyed attending concerts of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra and of the Saskatoon Vocal Ensemble, Joy of Vox. Phyllis loved gardening in her own flower garden and she enjoyed visiting formal gardens; she had an amazing knowledge of the taxonomic names of all the flowers in her view. Phyllis grew up beside the sea and, throughout her life, had a great appreciation for the sounds, sights and smells of the coastal areas that she and Kirk loved to visit.
Undoubtedly, Phyllis’s and Kirk’s most enduring pleasure was their role as loving and supportive “Nana and Papa” to their grandchildren and great grandchildren. Their lasting legacy is that each child felt fully loved in their warm embrace. They played an important role in the lives of their family, sharing advice, laughter, and love.
Thank you to the doctors, nurses and staff of 6200 Royal University Hospital. Thank you to Valerie Heart, and the staff of Home Help, especially June and Verna, who over the years provided care to Phyllis, and the staff of the Franklin for their many kindnesses. Thank you to The Reverend Cathy Coates and The Reverend Brian Maitland. Thank you to Phyllis’s friends who have visited and sent messages over the past weeks. Thank you to Laura Ramsay who provided kindness and support during Phyllis’s stay in hospital.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Saskatoon Funeral Home on Friday June 8, 2018 at 3 p.m. followed by a gathering at the Edwards Family Centre.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be directed to Grandmothers for Grandmothers (G4G) Saskatoon:
http://grandmotherscampaign.org/get-involved/donate/