We had a family band. 

Phil played the fiddle, I played guitar, my brother Mike was on drums, Alice on the organ, and Sharon sang. 

Mom would chime in too. 

We lived in Mitchell's corner, close the Kap river.

I don't know how he did it but he raised 5 amazing children, all on a butcher's salary. By todays standards we were poor. but we didn't know it. Our life was rich, full of love, music, and laughter.

Phil was always there for us. 

At 4 AM one February I felt an arm on my shoulder. I heard my Dad say, "Get up, the oil line is frozen again. We're going to have to dig." 

I wanted a new coat to go to the dance at KDHS. My dad didn't have the money. But he called up Charlie's Men's wear and said, my son needs a new coat. Charge on dad.

I woke up one Christimas to a shiny new guitar. I cried. I took it to bed with me.

To me, he embodied the essence of a spiritual person. He was a quiet and calm man and shared few words. Always quick to laugh, he was comfortable in his own skin. He whistled at work. 

Phil lead by example. 

Through Phil I learned how to love. 

I saw my Dad give my Mom long hugs in the kitchen. He would rub her feet. He took good care of her right up until her final hour.

I learned about service to humanity. 

He would stop an pick up people on the highway and give them a ride home. 

I learned about acceptance.

He would often recite the serenity prayer out loud saying, God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change to change the things I can, I wisdom to know the difference. 

I learned how to be grateful.

Before every meal, Phil would say a prayer of gratitude.

Before bed he would spend a very long time on his knees, praying. 

Oscar Wilde wrote: “The aim of life is self-development. To realise one's nature perfectly, that is what each of us is here for." 

If a man's life is to self develop and grow, that's what Phil set out to do. Phil worked to make his life better. And everyone's life around him, too. 

I am thankful for having Phil as a father. He gave me life. He taught me to be mannerly, to think of others first, and to appreciate the beauty in music.

I take my father with me wherever I go. I walk like him. I talk like him. I look at myself in the mirror and I see Phil. What a lucky man I am. 

There is nowhere that love is not. Love us everywhere,

Love was especially in Phil. He loved life, his wife of many years, Patricia, and his children.

We will miss you Phil. Your memory and good deeds live on in me and in us all.

Love, Ken Laderoute