Phyllis Fleming

Raised on the Northeast Avalon, Phyllis attended high school at Prince of Wales Collegiate in St. John’s. In 1979, she married her husband Don, an accountant with family ties to Cape St. Francis and neighbouring Portugal Cove. Together, they raised two children: Scott and Meghan.

After her two children were grown, Phyllis became business partners with Don and operated an Esso franchise in St. John’s. Soon after, she bought a convenience store in Airport Heights, which she re-named Philly’s. With the help of her family, this corner shop quickly became a fixture in the community, notably with their Customer Appreciation Days and their generous contributions to the community. Phyllis can always be counted on to help her neighbours in need, through her many acts of kindness and charity.

Phyllis has also volunteered for a number of causes. In the 1990s, she served as the Vice-President, and later President, of the Prince of Wales Figure Skating Association. Phyllis has also volunteered with the Newfoundland and Labrador chapter of Crime Stoppers.

In 2011, Phyllis sold her convenience store and retired to Torbay, where she currently lives. She spends her well-earned spare time reading, hiking, and operating a free community library in the town of Terra Nova.