Edward Kent Phillips

(1908.07.31 – 1971.?.?)
SLS, DLS
Commission #078
(1929.03.06)

Born in Ottawa, Ontario on July 31, 1908 (taken from SLS file signed by Mr. Phillips), he was the son of Edward Horace Phillips DLS; SLS, and nephew to Harold Geoffrey Phillips DLS; SLS. I note that Kent’s obituary in the SLS file states 1903, I believe this is in error.

Kent received his early elementary education in Regina prior to his family moving to Saskatoon. Kent matriculated from the Saskatoon Collegiate Institute (now Nutana) and then graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in Civil Engineering in 1925. He obtained his Masters degree in Civil Engineering in 1927. Prior and during his university days he worked for Phillips, Stewart and Lee, Engineers and Land Surveyors (1910-1926) and for Phillips, Stewart and Phillips (1926-1962). He obtained his commission as a Dominion Land Surveyor in 1924 and his Saskatchewan Land Surveyors commission (#78) in 1929. In 1931 and 1932 he was with the Canadian National Railway.

While at the University of Saskatchewan Kent started to lecture surveying and drafting and continued in the field of education as lecturer and instructor of various fields until 1947. During this time he was also employed with both the Saskatchewan Department of Highways and P.F.R.A. until 1939 when he joined the Evans Gravel Surfacing Co. Ltd. (known as Evans Construction) as an Engineer. He was appointed General Manager of the firm in 1947.

In 1949, he and Geoffrey Craig Hamilton DLS; SLS; ALS; P.Eng, formed Phillips, Hamilton and Associates, Engineers and Land Surveyors, out of Edmonton, Alberta. I had the privilege of being part of that group until 1954 when I moved to Saskatoon.

In 1957 Underwood and McLellan (Land Surveyors) purchased Kent’s interest in Kent Phillips and Associates and in the early 1960’s, the firm regrouped to form Phillips, George and Nicholson, Land Surveyors. Kent passed away in 1972.

Mr. Kent Phillips was a member of the Engineering Institute of Canada, member and past president of the Professional Engineers of Saskatchewan, member and past president of the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association in 1944 and past chairman of the Prairie Road Builders section of the Canadian Construction Association. Kent was made a life member of the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors Association in 1966.

He was married in 1931 to Jessie Wille and they had two daughters.

As a mason he belonged to the Masonic Orders of Scottish Rite, Royal Order of Scotland and Shrine and was a member of Knox United Church in Saskatoon.(1) He was a member of the K-40 club and past president of the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Association. His busy life saw him as a member of the original Saskatoon Junior football team, the “Saskwanis” team,(2) that operated from 1921 to 1923. Kent stayed active in football and was President of the Canadian Rugby Union (CRU) in 1947 when he and others reorganized the Hilltops Football Club. Kent was named the first President of the Hilltops club. He remained active in the club for many years.

(1) From “Who’s Who in Saskatchewan”
(2) From www.hilltops.ca

By J.H. Webb, SLS (L/M), CLS - December 2001