On April 8, 2016 after a full and happy life of 92 years, Phil Vaughan passed away peacefully at his home in Halifax. A fourth generation Haligonian, he was born on June 20, 1923 to the late Agnes (Leahy) and James Vaughan. He grew up in north end Halifax in a house his father rebuilt after the Halifax Explosion.
He attended Alexander MacKay School, Saint Mary’s College High School and Saint Mary’s University under the Irish Christian Brothers and the Jesuits. He was involved in all aspects of student life and excelled academically, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree and numerous academic awards for excellence. He was the class valedictorian. He went on to the Nova Scotia Technical College and graduated with multiple honors and a degree in Civil Engineering. Later he also earned his qualifications as a Provincial Land Surveyor.
In 1944 and 1945 he was on active service with the Royal Canadian Engineers at Camp Petawawa, Ontario and Camp Vernon, B.C. He was headed for deployment in the Pacific theatre when WWII ended. From the end of the war until the mid 1960’s Phil served in the army reserve, closing his military career as Lieutenant-Colonel and regimental Commander of the 5th Field, Royal Canadian Engineers. During that time he was Chairman of the Halifax District Reserve Army Sports Association. In 1963-64 he was National President of the Military Engineers Association of Canada. Phil joined the Nova Scotia Dept. of Highways and Public Works after the war and rose to the position of Chief Bridge Engineer for the Province while still in his early thirties. The Liverpool Bridge, which still stands today, was the first bridge he designed.
In 1958, he chose to leave that job to start the consulting firm of J. Philip Vaughan and Associates Limited. His engineering expertise is part of many locally known projects including: the Canso Causeway, the Scotia Bank Centre, and the Dalhousie Student Union Building to name a few. Among his proudest professional achievements was the design of the Halifax Dockyard Synchrolift which, at the time of its construction, was the largest device in the world for lifting ships from the water for refit/repair. What began as an operation with Phil, a drafting table, and a telephone, he sold on his retirement, as the thriving company “Vaughan Engineering.” It had close to 40 employees and held contracts, locally, nationally and internationally.
In 1946 he married Hilda Doupe and they spent 55 wonderful years together, raising a family of seven. And lest you think he may not have had any fun, Phil found lots of time to spend with Hilda and their children, and grandchildren. He was always delighted to take a gang out fishing or just for a motor around Prospect Bay from his beloved “Camp”. Bowling, skating, swimming, fishing, playing the piano, curling, cross-country skiing, dancing, tennis, French lessons, and travel around the world were all part of his repertoire. He loved to socialize and was always pleasant company, kind, generous and gentlemanly. Phil exemplified community service.
He served on the Board of the Halifax Infirmary and also on the Board of Governors of Saint Mary’s University, Nova Scotia Technical College, Mount St. Vincent University, The Halifax Board of Trade, and the Halifax Board of School Commissioners. He was Chairman of the Halifax Library Board and President of the Oxford Home and School Association, Chairman of the Nova Scotia Branch of the Royal Commonwealth Society, and on the National Board of the Royal Commonwealth Society. He served as President of the Alumni Associations of both Saint Mary’s University and The Technical University of Nova Scotia. In retirement, Phil volunteered with Meals on Wheels until he was 91.
As a volunteer in his professional life, he was President of the Association of Professional Engineers of NS, President of the National Design Council of Canada, a member of the Construction Industry Design Council of Canada, and head of the Canadian delegation to the International Congress of Societies of Industrial Design in Helsinki, Finland. He was Chairman of the Admissions Standards Committee of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers and Vice Chair of the Consulting Engineers of Nova Scotia. He was a “Warden” of Camp 7 of the Corporation of the Seven Wardens - the group that awards newly minted engineers their iron rings. A devout Catholic, Phil willingly gave his time to the church as well. He served as Chairman of the Diocesan Council of the Archdiocese of Halifax. He was the Chairman of the first Parish Council for Saint Thomas Aquinas Church. He was a Lector and Minister of the Eucharist. He participated on several Parish committees.
He also served for many years on the Board of Genesis House, a group home for at risk youth, jointly operated by churches of several denominations. He volunteered for the Liberal Party actively from the age of 15, until he was 91, working as a poll captain, scrutineer, canvasser, fund raiser, and riding executive member. He was recognized by the Liberal Party of Nova Scotia in 2005 for more than 60 years of continuous volunteerism. Phil has received Honorary Doctorates from both Saint Mary’s University and the Technical University of Nova Scotia. He was chosen from all of the Engineers in Nova Scotia in 1987 as one of 10 engineers honored across the country to mark the 100th anniversary of the Engineering Profession in Canada. He has also been awarded Fellowships by Engineers Canada, The Engineering Institute of Canada and the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering. I
n 2001 he was awarded the “Gold Medal”, the highest award from the Association of Professional Engineers of Nova Scotia. He is an Honorary Life Member of Engineers Nova Scotia, and of the Canadian Society of Civil Engineering. He was honored with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal; the Engineers Nova Scotia Citizenship Award; the Saint Mary's University Alumni Association Distinguished Community Service Award; the Alumni Achievement Award of the Technical University of Nova Scotia; the Charitable Irish Society Community Service Award; Lifetime Membership at the Mayflower Curling Club.
Phil was predeceased by his loving wife Hilda; son-in-law David Dell; half-brothers, Ralph, Charles, Harold, Francis and James Vaughan; and half-sister Irene Vaughan. He is survived by his children Marian Dell, Whitby, ON; Michael Vaughan, Vancouver/Garden Bay, BC; Peter Vaughan, Garden Bay, BC; Helen Vaughan, Halifax/Vancouver, BC; Alan Vaughan (Gail), Bedford, NS; Sheila Fougere(Joe Fougere), Halifax; Major Eileen Vaughan (Rick Robinson), Saint Albert, AB; sixteen grandchildren; seventeen great grandchildren.
Visitation will take place at J. A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax, on Thursday, April 14 from 2-4 and 7-9 pm and on Friday, April 15 from 2-6 pm. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday, April 16 at 11:00am at Canadian Martyrs Church, Inglis Street Halifax. For those who wish to honor Phil’s lifetime legacy of community service, donations or voluntary service can be made to Halifax Meals on Wheels, 6670 Bayers Road, Halifax NS, B3L 2B5 (902)429-4299. Gifts may also be made in Philip’s memory by contacting Dalhousie University at Tel: 902.494.8801, Toll Free: 1.800.565.9969 Indicating they want to make a gift to the Dr. J. Philip Vaughan Engineering Scholarship.
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