Obituary of Allison Welch MacPhail

Allison Welch MacPhail passed away peacefully at the Saint John Regional Hospital on Saturday, July 17, 2021. He was born in Woodstock, New Brunswick on July 8, 1935 to the late Lawrence and Clara (nee Welch) and grew up in Florenceville, NB, where he graduated from the East Florenceville High School in 1953. Following graduation from high school, Allison attended the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton where he met his wife, Virginia Hossack. In 1961 Al graduated from the Civil Engineering faculty and married Virginia on December 30, 1961. Al’s university years were extended as he spent alternating years away from school working in Iqaluit (formerly "Frobisher Bay") where he fell in love with "Big Projects". During his forty year career as a civil engineer he moved around the world working across Canada, USA, and Morocco. He was particularly proud of his last "Big Project" which was the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge in Boston which has become an icon for Boston featured in the backdrop of news channels, but better known at home in Rothesay as "Grampy’s Bridge". Al was an avid salmon fisherman and for many years loved fly fishing at Burpee Bar in the St. John River, as well as whatever Crown Reserve water he could get. After his retirement in 2002 he became an enthusiastic golfer, often the first one on the course in the morning where he would play two balls around eighteen holes and be home before 10:00 a.m. He also enjoyed many years of downhill skiing starting at Crabbe Mountain in the 1960’s and 1970’s and took his family on many March Break ski holidays to Maine. As he moved from job to job, Al always looked for the nearest ski hill and took advantage of the opportunity to ski in the Rockies while working in Alberta during the 1980’s and at Lake Tahoe while working in California during the 1990’s. Allison will be deeply missed by his family; sons, Peter (Mary) and Scott (Simone); his grandchildren, Skene, Madeleine, Reid, Robyn, Joey, and Alexandra; his great-grandchildren, Prescott and Paxton; his sister, Marnie Peterson (Paul); as well as many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Allison was predeceased by his wife of fifty-one years, Virginia, as well as his daughter, Elizabeth, and his son, Andrew. A public visitation will be held on Wednesday, July 21, 2021 at McAdam’s Funeral Home from 6 – 8 pm. A Memorial Service will take place at St. Paul’s United Church on Thursday, July 22, 2021 at 2 pm with Rev. Michelle Armstrong officiating. Due to the current health protocols, please contact McAdam’s Funeral Home at (506)458-9170 or by email at mcadams@mcadamsfh.com to register your attendance at the service. For those who wish, memorial donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Diabetes Association or a charity of the donor’s choice would be greatly appreciated.