Veteran river boat engineer Philip Munday Blaker died Saturday night after a long illness. Born 79 years ago in London, England, he lived most of his life in the Yukon. He is survived by his wife Ethel, two sons, Dennis in Vancouver and Fred in Whitehorse, and six grandchildren. There are also a numer of relatives living in England.
As a young boy, the late Mr.Blaker went to sea and for many years was a merchant mariner. He made several trips around the world before coming to Canada about 1902.
A few years later he came to the Yukon to continue his association with ships, this time on river steamers. Around 1907 he joined the British Yukon Navigation Company as an engineer. Mr. Blaker also was employed for a short time as a steam engineer at the local copper mines. After working for some years at the roundhouse with intervals on the river he retired about five years ago.
His main interest in life was steam engineering and he was a long-standing member of the National Association of Marine Engineers.
Private funeral services will be held for the late Mr. Blaker, with W. J. Morris in charge of final arrangements.
