'He’ll be missed': Community mourning as beloved West Elgin mayor passes away

The flags at all Elgin County facilities fly at half-mast after the passing of three-term warden and West Elgin mayor Duncan McPhail.

“It’s absolutely tragic news,” said Ed Ketchabaw, the Elgin County warden said of his colleague who passed away March 11. “I last spoke with Duncan about week ago Sunday. I said to him, ‘Hurry up, get well we need you back here.’ Unfortunately, that's not the result we got so, it was a really tough day yesterday.”

Ketchabaw extended his condolences to Duncan’s wife Norma, family, friends and colleagues.

“Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time,” said Ketchabaw. “Duncan was a true family man who would, with a big heart and smile, share his love for his wife Norma, their family and grandchildren.”

A champion for the Municipality of West Elgin and Elgin County, McPhail was an active farmer, and community advocate.

Municipality of West Elgin Mayor Duncan McPhail, who passed away on March 11, 2023. (Source: Municipality of West Elgin)

He served 17 years on Elgin County Council from 1988 to 2002, then returned to politics in 2018.

He was the chair of the 2010 international plowing match in Elgin County.

“There'll never be another guy like Duncan McPhail,” said Bill Denning, the owner of a funeral home in Rodney, Ont. and fellow member of West Elgin council.

“He walked the walk and he was an economic development specialist. He made sure that the ice cream place across the road from the funeral home in Rodney here didn't go out of business by checking in with them daily for not only an ice cream, but also for a visit to talk to the local business owners about what it was that we needed to help come out of COVID,” he said. “And he was a big part of that.”

His passing means there are big shoes to fill on council.

“I’ll try my best,” said Richard Leatham, deputy mayor of West Elgin, who has worked with McPhail since 2018. “I had good training from Duncan and I'll certainly try to fill these boots. I don’t think I’ll be able to but along with staff, I’ll try. We were all going to rally together, and I think that’s what Duncan would want.”

Duncan McPhail poses for a photo with his wife Norma. (Source: Facebook)Denning spoke of how welcoming McPhail was to him when he moved to the community. He called him an “inspiration” and an “ambassador.”

“It didn't matter if you had a 500 acre farm or didn't have two nickels to rub together,” said Denning. “He treated everybody the same, and he wanted everybody to have the same opportunities. He wanted everybody to just come together and work together for the community, and I think that’s one of the things that he'll be remembered for.”

The Municipality of West Elgin is asking its residents to “place a candle in their window until the day of his funeral. Let's light up West Elgin for our Mayor and remember the light he was for our community.”

A book of condolences is available in the lobby of the Elgin County Administration Building at 450 Sunset Dr. in St. Thomas for residents and the community to share their messages of sympathy. 

According to McPhail’s obituary, a celebration of life ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. at the Rodney Recreation Centre on March 17. The funeral will be held later that day at McLean Cemetery at 3 p.m.