Phil was born April 4, 1941 in Tamworth. He grew up on the family property “Wean” at Boggabri. As a young fellow, he rode his pony to school on the Manilla-Boggabri Road.

He went off to boarding school at The Armidale School in Armidale in 1953. Over the year of his schooling, he became heavily involved in sport including gymnastics (parallel bars and pummel horse in particular) and in his final year he was a member of the First XV in rugby. He was also president of the old boys union and a White House prefect.

When he had finished school, Phil returned home to “Wean” to help run the family property with his brothers John and Jim. He also became involved in the Gunnedah community in a number of ways. 

He was part of the Gunnedah Jockey Club, Gunnedah Polo Club, Gunnedah Music and Dramatic Society and Boggabri Pony Club. He helped to organise the Mullaley Matrons Ball in the 1990s and was ring master of Boggabri Show and spent many years on the committee. 

Phil married Susie Macpherson in 1965 and they welcomed three children over the years – Rina, Em and Ben.

The Boggabri man was an honourary life member of the Wean Picnic Races Club and the Wean Picnic Races, which was established in 1933.

He later sold “Wean” and he and Susie moved to Tamworth, where he pursued other ventures, including managing the Tamworth Arcade and selling real estate. He was briefly in the Tamworth Rotary Club.

The Alkers moved to Forster in the early 2000s and lived there for a number of years, managing a small shop, which kept them busy. It was during their time in Forster that Phil was diagnosed with kidney disease and started dialysis. 

He passed away after a long battle with the disease on the morning of Sunday, March 11. His family fondly remembers him as Phil, Philip, China, Darls and Dad.

There will be a public service to honour Phil’s passing at Lincoln Grove Memorial Gardens, 1040 Gunnedah Road, Tamworth on March 19, at 10.30am.

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