5489 Phillip Jackson RMC 1962
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Lieutenant Colonel Phillip W. Jackson (Ret.) of Victoria, BC, on June 12, 2026, at the age of 86. Born March 22, 1940 in Toronto, Ontario, Phillip was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and a man of deep Christian faith. Phillip grew up in Toronto and attended the Royal Military College (RMC) where he earned degree in mechanical engineering. He later attended Stanford University, completing a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering. During his distinguished 20-year career in the Canadian Armed Forces, Phillip attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. A highlight of his service was the honour of overseeing the maintenance of the Snowbirds, Canada’s renowned aerobatic demonstration team. Following his military retirement, he transitioned to a civilian career, serving at McMaster University before moving to the United States to serve as the Director of Information Systems at Massachusetts General Hospital. Eventually, he settled in Victoria to enjoy his retirement with his wife Phyllis. Phillip was predeceased by his beloved wife, Phyllis (January 20, 1948 – May 28, 2016), and his brother, Gary (2022). He will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by his children Daryl (Trish), Laurie, Kevin (Seema), Tracy (Yvonne), and Toni (Raul). He leaves behind his treasured grandchildren, Dal, Max, and Sarah, whose love and presence filled his life with great joy and pride. He is also survived by his brother, Guy Jackson (Ellen), and his sister, Linda Norris, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends. A man of strong Christian faith, he was an active member of his church, where he found deep community, purpose, and lasting friendships. He lived his faith through quiet acts of service, regularly volunteering at local prisons, where he often baked cookies to bring comfort and kindness to inmates, and generously driving others to medical appointments, offering both practical support and warm companionship. Phillip also had a lifelong passion for music and high-fidelity sound systems, which he loved sharing with family and friends. He cherished time spent with loved ones, sharing stories, laughter, and fellowship. His legacy of faith, integrity, service, and love for life will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew him. In keeping with Phillip’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at Coastline Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Phillip’s memory to BC Cancer or World Vision.
“Well done, good and faithful servant.” — Matthew 25:23
6581 Thomas David Young RMC 1965
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Thomas David Young on Saturday, May 16, 2026, in his 83rd year. He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Penny (née Long); sons Andrew and Alex (Amanda); daughter Jenny (Jimmy) Osorio; grandchildren Max and Agnes Young; sister Jane Putman; nephew Tim; and niece Sue. He was predeceased by his parents, David and Janetta (née Muirhead) Young, and brother-in-law, Glen Putman.
Thomas David Young was born in Hamilton, Ontario, on September 21, 1942. He attended Hill Park Secondary School, where he was class President his senior year. He also played water polo and took up skiing. After high school, he attended the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. When he wasn’t studying or drilling, he was a ski jumper on the ski team. While in Kingston, David met the love of his life, Penny. The couple married on May 18, 1968, in Shearwater, Nova Scotia.
After postings to Cold Lake, Alberta; Quonset Point, Rhode Island; Toronto, Ontario; Shearwater, Nova Scotia; and Ottawa, Ontario, David and his family moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 1980. He worked at the Canadian Embassy and retired from the military in 1988 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He remained in the area working on the CF-18 program with Calian Technology until he retired in 2010.
In 2015, David was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He fought the disease with everything that he had, taking multiple medications, researching his condition, and exercising. He especially savored walking outdoors when the weather was warm.
Throughout his life, David liked reading, listening to, and playing music. He played the accordion and the upright bass, and while at RMC, he played the bagpipes in the marching band. He loved spending time with his family. He was also his kids’ basketball, soccer, and T-ball coach and editor of most of their school papers.
David was also an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed traveling and hiking. In the summers, he appreciated being at the cottage in Parry Sound. There he liked to go fishing, boating, and spend time with friends along the beach. Everyone will miss his willingness to lend a helping hand on any project, his decency, and his kind and gentlemanly nature. He will always be remembered as a man with the mind of an engineer and the heart of an artist.
The family would like to extend its gratitude to the staff at INOVA Alexandria Hospital and the George Washington Health and Rehab Center, who provided care and support during David’s final weeks. Instead of flowers, a donation to The Michael J. Fox Foundation or the Parkinson’s Foundation of the National Capital Area would be appreciated.
A celebration of life in honor of David will be held at a later time.
NL81 James Gebhardt
James Henry “Jim” Gebhardt passed away peacefully in Kingston, Ontario, on July 22, 2026, at the age of 92. Born September 9, 1933, in Hanover, Ontario, to Carl and Dortha Gebhardt, Jim was raised in Palmerston and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1952 as a Physical Education Instructor. His distinguished military career included postings across Canada, England, and Germany. Jim was well known for his contributions to athletics and military sport. From 1962 to 1970, he taught athletics to cadets at the
Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston under the legendary Major Danny McLeod. He later returned as Athletic Director from 1986 until his retirement in 1988. An accomplished athlete, Jim anchored the blue line for the Kingston Aces Senior “A” hockey team during the 1960s. Among his proudest achievements were representing Canada and the Kingston Aces at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland, earning a silver medal, and leading dry-land training in Peterborough for the last Toronto Maple Leafs team to win the Stanley Cup. One of his favourite memories was attending all four games of the 1972 Summit Series in Moscow and celebrating afterward with Team Canada.
In retirement, Jim enjoyed countless hours golfing at Garrison Golf Course and took immense pride in watching his granddaughters carry on his love of hockey as defencemen. In recognition of his lifelong dedication to Canadian military sport, Jim was inducted into the Canadian Forces Sports Honour Roll in 1989 and, in 2023, was honoured as a Builder on the Royal Military College Athletics Wall of Distinction.
Jim is lovingly remembered by his wife, Yvonne Gebhardt (Pruden); his children, David (Ray), Sandy (Bob), and Don (Linda); his sister, Nancy (Rob); and his grandchildren, Tami, Hannah (Coby), and Lexi. He was predeceased by his brother, Ron, and sister-in-law, Annie.
The family extends sincere thanks to the caring staff at Kingston General Hospital, Providence Care, and Fairmount Home for their compassion and exceptional care. In accordance with Jim’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.
He will be deeply missed by his many friends, golfing companions, and all who had the privilege of knowing him. Jim had a remarkable ability to bring people together with his humour, generosity, and unmistakable sense of fun. Wherever he is now, you can be certain he is organizing the shenanigans.
Showing his versatility in sports leadership went beyond hockey, Jim Gebhardt started a wrestling team at RMC from scratch in 1966 – he was coach and I was captain. It may have been the first wrestling team in the history of RMC. I was already a very accomplished wrestler, but most of the rest on our fledgling team were not. However, with Jim’s coaching, we won the OSLAA wrestling championship one or both years, 1967 and 1968. Then, in Olympiad ’67 (held at the University of Alberta to celebrate Canada’s Centennial), with Jim’s expert coaching, Bill Bentley and I were probably the first RMC cadets to win medals in a Canadian intercollegiate competition – Bill was third in Canada in his weight class and I was second in mine.
To me, personally, Jim, as coach and friend, had a tremendous influence on me as a young cadet and an athlete … and I feel that I am a better person for knowing him. I have regarded Jim and his wife, Yvonne, as dear friends these many years and made a point of visiting them every time I returned to RMC for a reunion. Rest in peace my friend.