Leona Phillips
Died: February 16, 2023 | Place: Country Terrace, Komoka
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Obituary
PHILLIPS, Leona (nee Westlake)…
Leona Phillips of London passed away on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at the age of 94 at Country Terrace Nursing Home in Komoka, ON. Leona will be missed by her sons Peter, Paul, and Patrick (Dawn). Dear Grandmother to Juliana (Shaun), Jessica (Hamish), Thomas and Rebecca (Petyr). Dear Great-Grandmother to Reeves, William, Samantha, Jennifer, Anna and Layla. Also missed by her sister-in-law Marion Cavanaugh and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by brothers James and Hugh, sister Margaret, and daughter-in-law Jennifer.
Leona was born on a farm in Hibbert Township in 1928 to Arnold & Oriole Westlake. Like many children growing up on small farms, her character was shaped by the daily life and tasks of tending to animals, fields, and the crops. As a teenager, she trained and step danced the Highland Fling and Sword Dance, receiving numerous accolades and honours. After graduation from high school, Leona moved to London and began work at London Printing. This was followed by a long career of approximately 30 years with Huron College (UWO) where initially tasked with operating the switchboard evolved into caring to the needs of thousands of young students of the men’s residence. Leona loved gardening, interior decorating, quilting, and reading. Leona had a lifelong commitment to the Presbyterian Church.
We express our deep gratitude to the caring staff of Country Terrace for the love and compassion shown towards Leona over her many years of residency.
Family and friends are welcome for visitation on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 from 1-2 pm at the A. Millard George Funeral Home, 60 Ridout Street South, London, where the funeral service will take place at 2 pm in the funeral home chapel. Future interment in April in Hensall Union Cemetery, Hensall.
As an expression of sympathy memorial donations to Mission Services of London, 4-797 York Street, London, ON N5W 6A8. Online condolences shared at www.amgfh.com
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Our deepest sympathies to my dear Aunt Leona’s families!
She was such a gentle soul so loving and she cared so deeply for all! She was a Mother Hen always hoping everyone was ok!! We loved and adored her and the world just lost a person with the purest of hearts!! Rest easy my dear Auntie! I love you!!!
I well remember Mrs. Phillips from my days as a student and resident at Huron College.
While I appreciated her friendly way with us, in our youth we likely under-valued her kindness and the genuine caring she displayed for us.
Wonderful memory.
RIP Dear Aunt Leona,
Even tho we lived 2000 miles apart, our hearts were connected. You lived your life simply and sweetly and raised 3 wonderful sons. Humble, hardworking, brave, gentle,fun loving, frugal, kind and inspirational are some of the words I think of, when I think of you. You instilled in all of us the importance of family. We will always remember and love you.
Nancy, Cam & Family
Dear Peter, Paul and Patrick and families:
I was a student at Western and Huron from 1966 to 1972 and lived that entire time in O’Neil Men’s Residence where your dear Mom handled the phone desk in the entry. But she was so much more than the lady directing calls to the College. Her care and concern of all students was very much part of what she saw as her duty but I expect we as students never realized what a kingpin she was in our lives. She always chatted us up coming and going to classes at Huron or across Western Road at the university. After graduation many of us returned to see her at her post to update her on our lives. And of course she attended many alumni gatherings at the College. Hers was a long life and you will all feel a void in your own at this difficult time. May the warm memories of family times together bring you comfort and solace in the days ahead. I shall remember with great affection and fondness. I have made a donation in her memory to the Chapel of St. John the Evangelist at Huron, specifically its breakfast programme for students in need. May dear Leona rest in the peace of Christ.
I was deeply saddened to hear about my dear Aunt Leona’s passing. Although I lived about 1,700 miles away from her all my life, her brother Hugh, (my father) and my mother went to great efforts to bring our families together several summers and Christmases over my childhood and young adult years. I got the opportunity to bond with my “Eastern cousins” and to fall in love with my dear Aunt Leona! Mere words cannot adequately describe what she meant to me! This past summer,2022, I was fortunate and lucky enough to do a road trip with my two daughters , Amber, and Holly ,(22, and 20 years of age respectively), to visit our Eastern relatives, including an afternoon visit with Aunt Leona. My daughters had had limited opportunities up to this point to get to experience her love for her family. It was a short visit but later they talked about how cute they thought she was and when during the road trip back to Saskatchewan we would talk about her again, I would hear the words from them, “ah, I love Aunt Leona!” That was an easy thing to do with her! We will miss her the rest of our lives but will do a lot of smiling and shed some tears every time we think and reminisce about our time with her! Rest in peace my dear sweet Auntie! I love you dearly!!!
As a caretaker of your mother for many years at the nursing home Leona shared many memories of the family she so loved (including some shinnaghans you boys played) and stories of the boys at Huron College. A very remarable, gentle woman that will continue to live on in all of you.
My sympathy goes out to all of you, she will remain in my heart forever
I am so sorry for your loss. I used to work at Country Terrace in recreation from 2011-2018 and had the pleasure of knowing Leona. She always took a vast interest in my wrestling career and then later would light up when I brought in my kids to visit. She was one of my favourites and I knew if I needed some good conversation that I could visit her. She was a wonderful woman and she will be missed.