Philip George Gilbert

1934 - 2022

GILBERT, Philip George, born in Croydon, England, on July 12, 1934, died of cancer on March 30, 2022, at age 87. Phil first came to Canada as a very young war evacuee in 1940 but returned to England and his parents five years later after the war ended. Eight years later, in 1953, Phil returned permanently to Canada. He has resided in the Metro Vancouver area ever since, apart from 5 years in Port Alberni. Phil, sadly, was predeceased by his daughter, Alison Wilford, in 2007 and by his younger brother, Don Gilbert, in 2010. He is survived and will be sadly missed by his loving wife of 53 years, Barbara, and by his five surviving children and their families: son Kevin (Cheryl) Gilbert; daughters Debbie (Rob) LeRose, Karen (Wayne) Hales, Davina (Greg) Kazanowski and Val (Ian) Howell; his fourteen grandchildren; and eleven great-grandchildren. Also by his older brother, Dick Gilbert, in Victoria, and his first wife, Anne Gilbert, in Kelowna.
Phil was a graduate of Dulwich College in England, of UBC (BSF degree) and SFU (MBA degree), and spent his whole 40-year working career in the BC forest industry with MacMillan Bloedel, then Canfor, and for the final 18 years with the Council of Forest Industries, before retiring in 1996. He was a keen golfer, traveller, philatelist, square and round dancer, choral singer, and bridge player. Phil will be remembered first as a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and as a friend to all. His humour and his organizational skills will be particularly missed.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Ocean View Funeral Home, 4000 Imperial St, Burnaby, BC, at 1:00 pm on May 7. No flowers by request. If so desired, a donation to the BC Cancer Foundation would be appreciated.