Obituary of Philip Campbell Walker

Watch recorded video of funeral service at https://www.ustream.tv/embed/recorded/119022000?html5ui

Philip Campbell Walker B.S.P, passed away peacefully on December 17, 2018 in Saskatoon.

Phil was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to Drayton and Margaret Walker on June 5, 1930. He, along with brothers Ted and Peter, grew up at the Walker home on 8th Avenue. He attended school at Wilson Elementary, Notre Dame College, City Park Collegiate, the College of Pharmacy at the U of S and the Banff School of Fine Arts & Management.

Phil met the love of his life Doreen (nee White) at a YWCA dance and they married on May 9th, 1953.   Aside from a short time in Regina, Phil and Doreen raised their family in Saskatoon and at their beloved Emma Lake. They, along with their 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, celebrated their 65 years of marriage last Spring.  

Phil’s 30-plus year career with Pinder’s Drug Stores (Saskatoon Drug and Stationery Company) began as a Pharmacist at the store on 2nd Avenue.  He eventually rose to the role of General Manager for Pinder’s Drug Stores, Caprice Cards and Prairieland Drug Wholesale.  He left Pinder’s when he took ownership of Caprice Cards.  He retired in 1983 when he sold the card shops to Carleton Cards, returning to Pinder’s for a short time in 1992 as consultant to assist in the chain’s sale to Shopper’s Drug Mart.

Phil mentored his family by example, emphasizing the importance of family, sports, civic duty, education, community and friendships. He played, and later refereed, Hilltops Football, was a member of the Riverside Golf Club & Waskesiu Golf Club, the Viewpoint Tennis Club in Mesa, Saskatoon ParticipAction, Saskatoon Parks & Recreation Board, as well as being an avid fan of his children’s and grandchildren’s sports activities.  He served two terms with the Saskatoon Board of Education, President of the Saskatoon Board of Trade, the Canadian Drug Wholesale Association, Nutana Rotary Club, the Saskatchewan Drug Formulary Committee, the Saskatchewan Minimum Wage Board and the Sherbrooke Nursing Home Board.  He was a lifelong member of the Anglican Church of Canada.

Throughout his life, Phil cherished family and friends.  He gave his children and grandchildren the gift of summers at Emma Lake, a tradition started by his parents in the early 1930s. Special times and memories spent with relatives, “lake family”, and friends now extend to a fifth generation.   His children remember the laughter as he gathered for his regular poker game, code-named “Meeting of Statistics”.  Each of Phil’s children and grandchildren received early math education through card games and a Grandpa-invented edition of Rummoli.  

Phil and Doreen enjoyed travel across Canada, the United States and Europe.  After retirement they settled at Viewpoint RV Park in Mesa, Arizona where they spent over 3 decades of very active winters, developing friendships with people from all over the US and Canada. 

Phil is preceded in death by his parents Margaret and Drayton Walker, sister-in-law Joyce Walker and niece Nicole (Walker) Summach. 

Phil is survived by his wife Doreen Walker; son Keith Walker (Vivian); daughters Judy Ostrander (Jim), Jane Vaughn (Danny), Jill Konkin (John); brothers Ted (Laine) and Peter; grandchildren James Walker (Martha), Eric Walker (Sarah Jane), Graham Walker (Stacie), Gillian Tillman (Cody), Jonathan Ostrander (Drea), Jenna Wake (Tyler), Timothy Vaughn (Nicole), Shanna Vaughn (Bill), Kassidy Konkin (Colin) and John Davis Konkin; great grandchildren Rayna Jane Walker, Pearl & Mabel Ostrander and Bowen Wake; along with many loved nieces, nephews and friends.

A Celebration of Life will take place at 2:00 PM, Saturday December 22nd, 2018 at Saskatoon Funeral Home. A live stream video of the funeral will be available for those not able to attend. Visit Phil’s obituary at www.saskatoonfuneralhome.com and click on the livestream link.   An Inurnment will take place next summer at Emma Lake. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Saskatoon Public School Foundation or Cosmo Industries.

The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Drs. Shewchuk, Wright & Groot; nurses & care staff at St. Paul’s Hospital; and physiotherapist Curtis Kucey for their excellent and compassionate care of Dad.