Philip Rogers, resident of Grande Prairie, AB, passed away on Thursday, May 14, 2026, at Prairie Lake Hospice at the age of 73 years, following a courageous battle with colon cancer.

Phil was born on October 22, 1952, in Felton, Somerset, England, and emigrated in July 1956 with his two brothers and mother to meet his father, who had arrived in Canada earlier that year. Landing in Red Deer, they established their new life. In junior high, they moved to Calgary, where Phil lived until 1980. Junior high saw his passion for all things motorcycle develop, providing an opportunity to make lifelong friendships, which he maintained right until his passing. At 17, he became a Canadian citizen and joined the RCAF in 1970, employed in the Radar division. This took him across Canada, being stationed in Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Quebec.

He met Diane while stationed in Senneterre, QC. In November 1972, he left the RCAF and moved back to Calgary, where Diane and Geneviève joined him shortly after in February 1973. They married in June 1973, and Guy was born in September 1977. The family circle was complete. Phil worked for the City of Calgary in the transit department until 1982. In 1983, Phil began a very lengthy career in the oil and gas industry. He started with Canadian Fracmaster, eventually working in their various Russian ventures until 1996, then continued to work in Russia with a private venture until 2002. His final station move with Fracmaster saw Phil and his family relocate to Wembley, where they lived until 2011. After Diane’s second stroke, they decided to move into Grande Prairie to be closer to various medical facilities. Phil switched gears in 2003 and became a wellsite supervisor, a title he held until his diagnosis in February 2025.

Phil’s employment in the oil and gas industry helped fund his passion for motorcycles. He travelled from British Columbia to New Brunswick on his bikes, toured New Zealand with his brother Dave on bikes, and had hoped to plan a trip to the Isle of Man to watch the Isle of Man TT race. His junior high group of friends nicknamed themselves the ‘Momma’s Boys,’ and they, too, enjoyed many riding adventures over the years.

Phil’s passion for riding was passed down to his children, who enjoyed many camping trips on bikes, rides to Banff from Calgary for ice cream, and trips ‘Around the Block.’ These trips involved touring from Grande Prairie out to Spirit River to pick up a grandchild, over to Dawson Creek for ice cream, and then back to Grande Prairie. There are very few photos of Phil without a bike in it. Guy bought his bike so he could join Phil on his many day trips. Geneviève would join him in several Alberta Ride for Sight rides. Phil and his brothers participated in several rides in Victoria, supporting the Westcoast Ride to Live. Phil also participated in a few Toys for Tots rides around Grande Prairie. Owning and riding a bike wasn’t a hobby for Phil. It was a way of life passed down from his father and shared with his brothers, children, grandchildren, and close friends.

Phil will be sadly missed by his daughter, Geneviève (Duane), and their children, Riley, Kaitlyn (Tyler), Sarah, and Erin; his son, Guy; his brothers, Dave and Keith; his nieces, Elizabeth (Ziggy) and son, Zach, and Tina (Mike) and son, Krim; as well as many family members in England and Quebec.

He was predeceased by his parents, Fred and Margaret, and his wife, Diane.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the columbarium located at the Grande Prairie Cemetery (84 Ave and 112 St). Fellowship will follow at 5:00 p.m. at Duane and Geneviève’s house. All are welcome to attend both events.

For those who cannot attend the graveside service in person, it will be livestreamed. The link will be available a few minutes before the service.

Memorial donations can be made to Ride for Sight Alberta (https://www.rideforsight.com/), Westcoast Motorcycle Ride to Live (https://ridetolive.ca/donate), or the Alberta Northwest Palliative Care Society (https://www.abnwpalliative.ca/).

While every effort is made to ensure a smooth livestream, technical or broadcast issues may occasionally occur beyond the control of Oliver’s Funeral Home.