Phillip Leroy Cottell, Brentwood Bay, BC

Phil will always be remembered as a welcoming, kind, and giving person, who liked to support others and had a personal policy to say “yes” as often as he could.

He thanks the medical professionals who kept him alive for the past 20 years despite his cancer diagnosis, and family and friends for helping him make the most of it.

Born in Ladysmith in June 1941, Phil spent his early years in Alberta, BC, but he graduated from Ladysmith High School in 1959. After his first year at the University of British Columbia (UBC), unsure of his academic direction, Phil travelled to New Zealand to work for New Zealand Forest Services as a bounty hunter tasked with reducing the population of deer and goats. After six long months, he caught a ship back to Canada to continue his education. His father, a horse logger like Phil’s grandfather before him, encouraged Phil to major in forestry, where he excelled.

It was at a UBC Forestry and Home Economics mixer that he met his love, Donna née Jones, and they married in October of 1965. He completed a Bachelor of Science Forestry at UBC in 1966, and a Masters of Forestry at UBC in 1967. Then after two years in Montreal, he continued on to Yale University to do his PhD, where his first daughter, Deanna, was born. Once he finished his education, his young family moved back to Vancouver, where his second daughter, Sylvie, was born.

During his forestry career, he had the opportunity to work with many outstanding colleagues and scientists at PAPRICAN, UBC Faculty of Forestry, FERIC, and MacMillan Bloedel. He was particularly proud to head the brilliant research and development team who invented Timberstrandô and Parallamô engineered lumber products.

Taking early retirement on southern Vancouver Island, he became a recognized woodturner and carver, teaching and selling locally. He was an active member of the Island Woodturner’s Guild and wrote articles for the AAW’s American Woodturner.

He loved his family, his friends, blue grass music, pie, and wood.

In lieu of flowers, consider donating to BC Cancer - Victoria or Island Prostate Centre in Phil’s memory.

View full obituary here.

It is hard to think of a better Island Woodturner’s Guild colleague than Phil.

Sharing his skill and knowledge, and supporting others, was at the core of his character. With an ever-present smile, Phil spent countless hours helping and supporting new (and not so new) turners. He also served to introduce many members to woodturning through his teaching stints at Lee Valley.

A founding member of the Guild, he served as a member of the Executive for many years and delivered countless demonstrations over the years. He was an ardent supporter of the AAW and authored many articles for its journal, the American Woodturner. (He was also a master turner of spinning tops!)

A remarkable legacy which we all continue to enjoy.

~ John Kilcoyne