by BK Munn
Sad news today as we learn that Phyllis Wright died July 9 after a stroke and a short stay in palliative care at Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, Ontario. Phyllis was the model for the mother in "Doug Wright's Family," the long-running Canadian comic strip drawn by her first husband Doug Wright, and was instrumental in the founding of the Doug Wright Awards for Canadian Cartooning. She was a continual and joyful presence at the annual awards ceremonies held in Toronto since 2004.
Phyllis and Doug had three boys, Bill, Jim, and Ken, who all became the models for the boys in the comic strip, which ran from 1948 to 1980. As depicted by Doug, Phyllis was a loving but exasperated suburban housewife, with a stylish pixie haircut and often clad in slacks or mod skirt ensembles. Through her association with the Wright Awards, Phyllis was a living link to the world depicted in the comic strip, generous with her support and time, and generous in sharing her family's memories and archive of artwork and photos, some of which became source material for the massive two-volume Collected Doug Wright compiled by the cartoonist Seth and writer Brad Mackay.
After Doug Wright's death in 1983, Phyllis remarried, to Derek Thomas (d. 1998), greatly expanding the size of her family.
Cremation and a private interment at Greenwood Cemetery happened earlier this month. There will be a memorial service July 31 at 11am at Port Nelson United Church.
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