18 — Sunday, September 5, 1999 — North Shore News CLEMENT and Mary Ann Phillipson are comfortable people to be with. Their interesting lives have been interwoven with the land and the sea. They charted their life’s course and reached their goals. Ciem’s advice to others starting a carcer is: “If possi- ble, get in business for your- self, and run your own opera- tion.” This he did and did well. Clem was educated in Prince Rupert, his place of birth in 1921. His childhood -was a happy one with his four siblings. His father had a store there, and as a fur buyer, travelled both the “Naas and Skcena rivers trad- ing with the Nisga’a, Tsimshian, Gitskan and Wetsuwet’en trikes. Clem realized at an carly - age that the sea demands ”- one’s utmost respect, as life -and death can be in close proximity, if one is not care- ful.. He remembers hand- wolling from a rowboat in his - youth, and during summers. . he worked on fish-packing boats. He owned three .trollers before he was 18. ‘In October 1939, Clem ~ ‘joined the RCN Reserve and Was stationed at the naval /base’at Esquimalt for 64 | ~ “years, For four of those years’ he was captain ‘on the’ patrol . _ vessels. patrolling the B.C.’ ~ coastline to Alaska. Jt was while he was at the . Esquimalt base that he met _, Mary Ann Shailebois, his furure wife. They married in "42. Mary Ann was born in Victoria in 1924, the youngest of 11 children. When she was six the family moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where she was educated. Her father was a recing contractor, but died when Mary Ann was 16. She and her mother moved back to Victoria where Mary Ann attended the Sprote Shaw Business College. After her graduation, she worked as a stenographer wich J.H. Whittome & Co. in Victoria. During the war years she worked at the R.C. Naval Dockyard at Esquimalt. She was the first civilfan hired to operate the secret coding machine in the Signal . Tower, .. After she and Clem mar- ried, she worked for a time as a stenographer with the U.S. Army at Prince Rupert before leaving to start their family. They moved to the North Shore in 1954. Clem received his Master _ Mariner Certificate in 1947. “It is never dull on the water,” says Clem. North Shore Counselling Centre Presents north shore news i SENIORS The Phillipsons s ¥ pme seafaring tal NEWS photo Terry Peters WHEN not at sea, mariner Clem Phillipson enjoys gardening and playing golf with wife Mary Ann. He also enjoys watching fishermen at Capilano River. He remembers taking a naval photographer out to photograph the Fert Camosun, 2 10,000-ton ship . loaded with lumber, which had been torpedoed off Cape Flattery. No lives were lost and the ship was repaired. On another accasion, his ship was patrolling out of Prince Rupert and stopped in at the Hidden Inlet Cannery, where there had been a rob- bery the previous night — a seine boat had been stolen. The FBI asked Clem to search for the seiner in the patrol ship. Within the hour they found the anchored seiner with the thicf aboard. Clem and his crew approached with caution and tried to communicate with the robber, but with no suc- cess. So Clem instructed the mate to fire a round of shots from the Lewis gun, using tracer bullets — every fifth round being a tracer bullet. This tactic brought results, and the thief was turned over to the authorities. The years 48 through ’72 found Clem working with the Fishermen’s Co-op in Prince Rupert. In 1972 Clem and Mary Ann bought the Tymac Launch Service, a marine transportation company in Vancouver. Clem had his work cut out for him, and Mary Ann handled the administration and secretarial work. . For 14 years they operated - the company before selling out to their son, Jim. Clem’s youngest son, Michael, is the marine superintendent of the company. ; At one point in time there were four generations of Phillipsons active in the North Shore Winter Club. Clem was involved with the credit union movement, both in Vancouver and Victoria. Mary Ann kept busy being a | CONFLICTING ADVICE? Uncertain-of whose advice to rely on when you receive 6S homemaker, and for 20 years she warked with ceramics. Clem and Mary Ann retired in 1986, However, Clem hasn’t stopped work- ing. From 1991 to the present, Captain Clem is often called to navigate various charter vessels in the Vancouver and Victoria area: The Phillipsons have trav- celled extensively throughout Norch and South America, Europe and Asia. For seven years they travelled in their mobile home to Arizona for some fun in the sun, and for closer-to-home relaxation periods for 20 years have retreated to their summer home on Bowen Island. Nowadays when Clein is. not at sea, he is puttering - around in his small veggie garden while Mary Ann cares for the flowers. They play golf at every opportunity, exercise at the West Van Seniors’ Centre, and walk the — seawall. . : Clem likes to watch the fishermen on Capilano River during the salmon run. Mary Ann swims four days a week and readsalot. © 0 + She says: “Marry the. wrong partner and one day is _ too jong -- marry the right partner and a lifetime isn’t long enough.” . On land or sea, life-for Clem and Mary Ann is still exciting and they feel very = fortunate to have had sucha goad life and a great family. Clem and Mary Ann have six children, eight grandchildren -. and three great grandchil- dren. mt Vikki Finkbeiner is a North Vancosiver writer. If you know. of someone.who might make an interesting profile ‘send your. ‘conflicting recommendations? EtderCare professional services provides impartiol advice; we seli only our time. To learn more about ElderCare ssional Services, contact | R.A. Witzel, c.a. 6:30 pm ~ 7:30 pm $3 Montizambert Wynd, West Vancezrver, BC "Departs 7:00pm : ; g. Tels (604}921-4045 © Fax: (604)921-4048 Returns 1:00pm. . : am a . —_— venunins Get into the swing and cruise into the night aboard the | 4 ‘Sunset Bay II and enjoy a fabulous dinner as well as dancing The Eseat Crutveg On! _4_ . Friday, September 24th, 1999 © : - From Westin Bayshore Marina | L601 West Georgia, Vancouver . idea to Vikki c/o North Shore - : : News, rs Board . 6:30 pm. + Cocktails ‘to Bruce Bissell's swinging sounds of the 40's and beyon . Tickets are $100 and help subsidize counselling. For further ticket information call Kathi Smith at 926-5495 ext 17. REMEMBER SHOPPING STONC'S? 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