Phyllis Eldeen Hamilton

Phyllis died peacefully on April 26, 2020, in Vancouver, BC at the age of 93. Phyllis was predeceased by the love of her life, Harold Hamilton in 1974. She is a much beloved mother to Lynda (Jack Cockwell), Richard (Jennifer), Donald (Dorothy), Cameron (Leslie Michaels) and Sandra (John Moore). Grandmother to Sarah, Paige, Julie (Tim), Megan, Ryan and Kelli (Robbie) and great-grandmother to Willa, Scarlett, Calla and Max.

Raised in a traditional Victorian household in Kelowna, BC, she was one of six children of Edward and Isla (nee MacDonald) Cross originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Phyllis was a woman ahead of her time. She bought her first horse at the age of 12 using her own hard-earned savings. This led to a life-long passion of training and raising horses and her love of animals. She was happiest, working alongside her brothers fixing anything mechanical, working outside and riding horses.

When married in 1947, she and her family lived in several communities across the interior of BC and on Vancouver Island. Their home was often the meeting point for many family gatherings or family traveling from various parts of Canada.

Phyllis was a long-distance swimmer, swim instructor and was the recipient of the Commonwealth Honor Award for her service in the Royal Life Saving Society of BC. An involved member of the community, she was on the executive of Parent Teacher Committees, Toastmasters, Curling Clubs, Rotary-Anns, the Eastern Star, and Girl Guides of Canada. She also took part in Municipal Planning Commission and Regional Council for Cranbrook, BC. She’s a self-published author of children’s books featuring Maggie the Cat.

Phyllis was one of the first female Deputy Sheriffs in BC and the first for Cranbrook and the Kootenay’s. She was praised for her abilities to negotiate and diffuse difficult situations and had an interest in helping young offenders. Later in her career, she became a Justice of the Peace in Vancouver. A memorial for Phyllis will be held at a later date. The family is dedicating a Vancouver City park bench in her honor.