Phillip Nils Day

Phil was baptized in Christ Church, Sth. Yarra, by the Rv. Leonard Townsend, No.4662 in parish register. He married Val at Merbein Methodist Chuch at 3.15pm, 28/12/1945 Phil's mother died soon after the birth of Phil's brother, Ken. Phil was 4 years old. Ken was adopted out to childless relations who brought him up as their own loved son. Phil spent some years with his paternal grandparents. His loved grandmother passed away when Phil was 12. Another blow in his young life. Phil's father later married Jeanne Boast who was 14 years older then Phil. His half siblings, Trevor & Glenda were not born until Phil was serving in the RAAF in WW2. Phil was a keen scout, about to go for his Kings Scout Award, when his troup-4th Oakleigh found themselves without a leader. Phil was asked to take on this role. He became a keen professional bike (cycle) racer, until the clubs disbanded due to members enlisting in the services in WW2 Phil was an apprentice fitter and turner. He joined the RAAF and finished his apprenticeship at Point Cook (fitter-armourer) He was later posted to Mildura base where he met his wife-to-be Val Nice at a dance in Merbein, put on by local ladies for the young servicemen away from home.Phil and Val loved ballroom dancing and Phil was an exponent of the wartime dance-the jitterbug. Phil was later posted to Arnhem Land in the NT, where he was a fitter armourer for the spitfires flying sorties over New Guinea. Val and Phil had become engaged at this time. They married on 28 Dec. 1945 after Phil was de-mobilised. Phil re-trained in brick-laying and became a builder. He had two daughters, Lorraine -born 1947 and Carol 1954. At this time the family were living in their family home, built by Phil in Mt Waverley South. Val and Phil were a close couple. They played golf and later lawn bowls together. Phil had been a member and later master of St Kilda Masonic Lodge. They later operated a retail business and lived in Pakenham and later still retired to Bendigo. Near the end of his life Phil and Val moved to a new town House in Mirboo Nth to be near close family. Phil's profile photograph was taken at his Silver Wedding Anniversary function, held in the Keysborough Hall in December, 1970. At the time of Phil's death he had been married to his beloved Val for 66 years. He was a family man and his family meant everything to him.