Philip Bligh Harris

Philip Bligh Harris was the oldest child of Noel and Ruby Harris. His sister, Nola-Faye was born three years later, completing their family. Noel and Ruby, both had 3 siblings each, making a very large and close extended family. They often visited with grandparents and other members of the family, especially when there were birthdays and holidays. It was a normal thing for the family to alternate weekends visiting with the grandparents, either taking the tram to New Westminster or the ferry to West Vancouver.

Over time, it became evident that Phil was very interested in music. He took lessons on the steel guitar for about five years until his teacher said he had taught him everything he could. It was then that Phil started taking lessons on the acoustic guitar, before switching to the electric guitar in his early teens. He majored in music at John Oliver High School (Jayo), playing the tympani in Sherwood Robson’s school orchestra. He also played the drums in Gordon Olson’s Vancouver Junior Boys Band.

Jayo was where he found others also very engaged in making music. In the mid-fifties, while still playing the steel guitar, he became one of the founding members of the Sharps band, who played many Bill Haley tunes. Originally, there were six Sharps: Phil (guitar), Ken Baliss (alto sax), John Forbes (piano), Les Anderson (tenor sax), Carl Ashley (drums), and Don Buchanan (bass). During the summer holidays, the Sharps played in Jasper, Alberta in a dance hall called Spiros, for three summers. Members changed over time and in 1957, Bud Currie joined as drummer and John Campbell as pianist. In 1958, the group was reduced to five members and they played at legions, weddings, various dance halls, and show venues like the Paramount Theatre and Queens Park Arena in New Westminster. Now known as the Five Sharps, the final group consisted of Phil, Don, Hugh Parkinson, Bud and John, all of whom were graduates of Jayo. The close relationship they maintained over the years was evident at their 20th high school reunion when they were asked to play for the grads. It went over very well. Again for the 50th reunion, they were asked to play. They put in many months of practice and played a concert that was a complete success and included all the old Rock and Roll songs they had loved in the past.

After graduating from high school in 1959, Phil wasn’t quite sure of what he wanted to do and after his parents told him he needed to get a job, he began working as a freight elevator operator in the Vancouver Hotel. He knew that this wasn’t the job he wanted, so Phil decided that he would be a barber like his Dad. After completing barbering school in Vancouver, he worked with his father in the shop on Fraser Street for about five years, while still playing in the band. He came to the conclusion that he wanted to do something more meaningful for himself, so in 1964, he made the decision to go to school at U.B.C. to become a teacher.

Phil was always loyal to his school friends and after hearing that one of them was a Go-Kart racer, he thought he would like to see what was involved in this sport. He drove to Westwood Racing Track only to find out that his friend had blown his engine and left for home. As Phil was standing there, a young woman approached to tell him what had happened to his friend. After talking for a while, the two discovered that that she had also attended Jayo and was friends with his sister, Nola. He said his sister was getting married soon. After chatting, they parted ways on friendly terms. The following summer, Phil went up to Westwood again, to “watch his friend race”. He saw the same girl again and after watching her and her family race, he asked her out on a date. Their first date was to watch the Vancouver Mounties play in Nat Bailey stadium. After that they went on dates nearly every weekend. About 5 months later, on February 12th, 1967, Phil asked Bev to marry him. Of course she accepted!

Since both wanted to finish their education at UBC, they decided to wait to get married until they had begun their new careers. Phil and Bev were married on June 21st, 1969, at Wilson Heights United Church in Vancouver. Their first year of marriage was spent teaching in Cranbrook, where they made many friends. They both missed their families and decided to return to the lower mainland. While working part time in the Richmond School District and taking summer courses, Phil was able to complete his Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1971. The remainder of his long teaching career was in the Abbotsford School District. Phil went further and achieved his Master’s Degree in Education from Western Washington University by 1981.

With the birth of his two children, Sean and Briana, Phil continued his strong commitment to family. As the extended family grew, Phil and Bev began having family reunions in their home and backyard, eventually adding a swimming pool. Both Phil and Bev were still keenly interested in music and encouraged their children to take part in musical activities, such as taking organ lessons and participating in their school bands and choir. Phil enjoyed listening to them play. Phil and Bev loved traveling, so there were many road trips down the coast to Seaside and Cannon Beach in Oregon, Disneyland in California, and flights to Hawaii. The one trip most remembered by Sean and Briana was when they drove down the coast, across Oregon and down to the Grand Canyon. Often on these trips, Phil would not let Sean and Briana know where they were going. He would call it a Magical Mystery Tour and they would have to guess the destination.

As Phil had always enjoyed photography, he began to learn more about the art and joined a small group of people with the same interest, including Lester and Eileen Inman, where he became very skilled with his Pentax. Later on he developed a proficiency in using a video camera.

Some of Phil’s happiest moments were when Sean met and married Liz, who had become very close to the family. Another happy time was when Briana and Ben had Ruby, who was named after Phil’s mom. He was so delighted with Ruby. Young Charlie coming along was a bonus for Phil. He loved taking his grandchildren to the school playground.

Phil worked for 32 and a half years as an elementary school teacher and Vice-Principal. He was devoted to his work, the staff, and the children that he taught. Margaret Stenersen, Upper Sumas, Bradner, Thomas Swift, Ridgedale, Alexander, Terry Fox and TenBroek schools were where he spent his career. He met and made many friends with his colleagues and continued to maintain many of those friendships after retirement.

Upon retirement in 2001, Phil and Bev continued to travel, taking many long vacations to Maui, Palm Springs, Phoenix, as well as many cruises. One of their favorite cruises was leaving Vancouver, visiting several towns in Alaska, and crossing the dateline before touching base in Vladivostok, Japan, South Korea, Several cities in China, and ending in Beijing, where they spent several days with a guide. One of the most spectacular places was the Great Wall of China. While he loved traveling to all those places, Phil was happiest when he was spending time with his wife, Bev, and their children, grandchildren and other family and friends.

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Philip Bligh Harris, late of Abbotsford, BC, passed away on March 10, 2017 at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital at the age of 75.

He is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Bev; son, Sean (Liz); daughter, Briana (Ben), grandchildren Ruby and Charlie; sister, Nola (Rob), niece, Tara (Tim); brother-in-law, Terry (Shelley); niece, Carmen (Tom); grand-niece, Siena; nephew, Tyler; brother-in-law, Murray (Mary) and nephew, James.

He was predeceased by his parents, Noel (1990), Ruby (1998), and nephew, Benjamin (1994).

Phil was born in New Westminster at the St. Mary’s hospital on May 12, 1941. He grew up in Vancouver and graduated from John Oliver High School in 1959. He enjoyed music, playing tympani in the school orchestra, and guitar in a rock and roll band.

Phil worked as a barber with his father in Vancouver while studying to become a school teacher. For 31 years Phil was an elementary school teacher and vice principal in the Abbotsford School District.

Phil and Bev were married June 21, 1969. They welcomed their son, Sean in 1976 and daughter, Briana in 1979. Phil had a strong commitment to his family. They loved to travel on many family vacations. Since retiring, Phil and Bev continued to enjoy traveling to Maui, Palm Springs and Phoenix. They also loved to spend time with their children and grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 18, 2017 at 1:00 pm at Henderson’s Funeral Home at 34537 Marshall Road, Abbotsford, BC, with Rev. Tim Bowman officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the BC Cancer Foundation or the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

Arrangements under the direction of Henderson's Fraser Valley Funeral Home, Abbotsford, BC.