Philip Harold TASSIE

Philip has been referred to as "a living legend" for his ongoing medical issues starting as a young teen. At 13 years old, he was told he would not live very long and then later that he would not be able to keep a job because of a rare liver condition that kept doctors baffled.

However, things don't always turn out the way we expect and Philip worked hard his entire life when he could. Philip worked in the Somass Mill on the planer that folks said you could hear clear across town in the old days. 

But it was boats that Philip loved the most whether fixing, maintaining or running them. Philip worked on many boats in Port Alberni and Nanaimo. Of particular note was his recovery of a commercial fishing boat of which he converted into a live-a-board. Both Philip and Diane (wife) lived on the "Savvy Joan" ( named after his mother).

Working with his father, Philip became an excellent structural builder. Over the years, Philip did quite a lot of building too. Growing up in a large family, Philip enjoyed the comaraderie of brothers and friends over the years. A man's man at best, Philip was liked by many and always willing to lend a helpful hand.

Although Philip had a few unsuccessful marriages with children and grand children who did not get the opportunity to know him, there were many nephews and nieces, stepchildren and friend's children who have fond memories of him while growing up. And at 52 years, Philip finally met his true love. 

He was a man full of life against all odds, with a heart of sorrow that could not crush him. Born in Port Alberni and raised, Philip returned home to the valley he loved so dear, where his family live to lay to rest.