Philip Herbert Parry Drinnan

Once upon a time in a faraway village surrounded by stone walls 30 feet tall, lived a boy whose playground was Conwy Castle in North Wales. His name was Philip Herbert Parry (Drinnan). He lost his father, Herbert Parry in a cycling accident. A few years later, at the age of nine, his mother, Marjorie Parry (Smith) Drinnan and adoptive father, Roy Drinnan, with employable knowledge in oysters, took the family through Pier 21 to settle in Bideford, P.E.I. Philip was always on the water, which led him to become a sailing instructor in his teens. A true pioneer to the aquaculture industry, his inherited knowledge of oysters and passion for developing opportunities, led him to be in the earliest commercial aquaculture development in Canada in 1972, with Cape Breton Marine Farming in Victoria County. Years later, he went on from there to start his own business, Loch Bras d’Or Salmon Farm in Bucklaw. Philip very much cared about and believed in the community of Waycobah, in which he established a fish farm, hatchery, processing facility and fishing boats as Director of Fisheries & Natural Resources. Few may have known of his natural talent for music that often had him playing piano or picking away at the guitar, his skills to do any house improvement needed and his ability to do the moonwalk. Every chance he got he was exploring the beaches of Unama’Ki with his love of 25 years, Jacqueline (Bernard) Drinnan. Though knowing his life was near an end, he remarked how lucky he felt, lucky to have had so much love from family; in-laws; nieces and nephews; cousins back in Wales; co-workers present and past; his children, Michael (Stephanie) Drinnan, Claire (Laverne) Drinnan in Baddeck, A.J. (Katie) Bernard in Wagmatcook, Greg (Kaylee) Hart in Yarmouth, William Francis Roy Drinnan and Cenwyn Herbert Parry Drinnan in Aberdeen; his grandchildren, Owen and Annabella Drinnan, Alexander John, Jenson and Kingsley Bernard and Brody and Valentin Hart; his siblings, Gareth (Cynthia) predeceased in Baddeck, Malcolm (Evie) in Jeddore, Faith (Donald) in Tatamagouche and Roy (Renee) in Pugwash. Philip passed away at the Victoria County Memorial Hospital, Baddeck on Monday, December 3, 2018, at the age of 70. A celebration of his life will be held in Aberdeen this summer. The family is extremely grateful to Dr. Ritter, Dr. Genge, the amazing palliative care team and super nurses at the Baddeck Hospital. Words of comfort can be sent to the family at www.sydneymemorialchapel.ca or e-mail [email protected].