Melville Phipps

PHIPPS, Melville Arthur - Melville Arthur Phipps P. Eng., FEC was born in 1919 to the late George Wesley Phipps and Nellie May Sinnamon on a farm near Thornbury, Ontario. He attended Hulberts School on the Townline of St. Vincent and Collingwood, also schools in Thornbury and Meaford, before enrolling in a Mechanical Engineering course at the University of Toronto - he graduated in 1942 with a B.Sc. and commenced work in a war industry. While there, he was called up for military service, but was rejected for health reasons. In 1945, he joined Research Enterprises in Leaside, whose mandate was to build a cold weather test facility for the new turbojet aircraft engines. This operation which moved to Malton as Orenda Limited. It designed and built several models of jet engines and commercial units for pumping gas. Mr. Phipps was there for 26 years and became Chief Project Engineer. In 1970, he joined Ontario Hydro, as Supervising Engineer, Specifications and was attached to the team that guided their change to metric measurements. He reluctantly retired from the Ontario Power Generation group in 1984. He has been active in the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario for many years and received the Sons of Martha Award in 1991 and was granted a Fellowship in Engineers Canada in 2009. While at Orenda, he and his fellow workers became interested in purchasing Crown land, which was being offered as an incentive to move people north. In 1961 he completed the purchase of property on Go Home Lake by building a cottage on it, a requirement to getting the deed. It was water access only, having been reached by a small home built sail boat with a 5hp outboard. A bigger marine plywood boat was built the next year with a 28hp outboard. 'Do it yourself' was his motto. Survived by his wife Helen, sons Michael (Kathie), Jeffrey (Martha), Stephen and Douglas, grandchildren Joshua, Jodi, Rachel and Matthew and his brothers Kenneth (Mary Lee) and Robert (Fran). Visitation is from 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 26, 2010 at the Ward Funeral Home, 2035 Weston Rd. (north of Lawrence Ave. W.), Weston until time of service in the Chapel at 11:30 a.m. Interment to follow at St. Philips Churchyard Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to a charity of your choice would be would be appreciated