While out walking his trusted canine companion, Ash, Phil suffered a sudden and unexpected medical event and, following several days of care, passed away at Stratford General Hospital on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at the age of 45. Best friend and husband to Sarah Belk (nee Horensma) for 25 years. Father, hero and mentor to Leah Gardiner and her husband Ethan, Ben and his wife Julia. Proud Papa to Kylie. Beloved son to Steve and Bev Belk. Dear brother to James Belk and his wife Christina. He will be sadly missed by his father-in-law Barry Horensma (Joanne) and mother-in-law Clara Slager. Lovingly remembered by his sisters-in-law, Christina Gaube (Nicolas), Rosanna Kirwin, Jessica Ricci (Aaron) and Gloria Green (Justin). Also missed by many nieces, nephews and extended family.
Phil loved the outdoors and appreciated the smallest things in nature. His love of camping and hiking with his family and friends in nature often led to the most memorable and humourous memories that will be shared for a long time. He was an adrenaline junkie who enjoyed mountain biking and anything that he could get a rush from. Phil proudly worked as the Business Manager of the energy division for Hensall Co-op. He took great pride in his work.
Visitation will be held at the Haskett Funeral Home, 456 Main Street South, EXETER, on Friday from 6-8 PM, where Phil’s funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 3rd at 11 AM. Spring interment at Maitlandbank Cemetery, Seaforth.
Stream the service live or at your convenience by visiting www.facebook.com/haskettfh
Donations in memory of Phil, to The Canadian Coalition for Firearm Rights or Seaforth Community Hospital Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
We are always willing to go where called upon but this image shows a visual of the communities that our included in our initial transportation fee. We offer a 40km radius from any of our 5 locations (Arva (London), Exeter, Lucan, Seaforth, and Zurich). Any mileage beyond the included 40km will be charged a rate of $2.50/km (one way travel only).
Judy and Tom Piggott
To Bev, Steve, Sarah and family. We are so sorry for your loss. You are in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Brian Pole
My deepest condolences to Phil’s Family. Working with Phil at the Hensall Coop in the yard was never a dull moment. He always made us laugh with his amazing jokes and “one liners” to the point where our guts would hurt. He was very hard working and always had great advice, He will be deeply missed by everyone.
Herman Mooy
Condolences from the Van Egmond House gang many thanks for your volunteering , you will be sadly missed RIP
Olga and Daniel Langevin
Dear Sarah and family,
We’re so very sorry and shocked to learn of your loss, that Phil had
passed away so unexpectedly.
Our deepest sympathies go out to you and your families
and know that our caring thoughts are with you.
Your Neighbours,
Olga and Daniel Langevin
Leonard/Anne
To The Belk and Horensma Families,
So very sad to hear this shocking news. 😥
Our hearts go out to everyone that knew Phil…
Especially praying for you and yours, Sarah…
Glad to confidently know that though Phil is absent from us, he is present with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Sincere sympathy from
Leonard and Anne Koch
(Myers cousins of Bev Belk)
Debra Myette and Claude Nicolle
Steve , Bev , Sarah , James and family we send our deepest condolences on the passing of Phil. There are no words to express our sorrow. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Katya Berrini
My deepest condolences and love to you during this time of grief.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34 18
Alex Stephen
A shocking loss for you,Sarah, and your family. My sincere condolences to you all.
Lyndsay John
Mr. and Mrs. Belk, James…so shocked and sorry to hear about Phil’s passing. I have good memories of visiting your place as a little kid, and of camping with your family. We’ve been praying for all of you.
Curtis and Lyndsay (Wassink) John and family
Kevin and Tasha Cobb
My sweet Sarah and family,
Our hearts break along with yours. This is an unimaginable loss, Phil was one of a kind human, always made us laugh, was always there when we needed him. Thank you for your friendship Phil and we promise to honour you everyday of our lives. We will miss you every second of everyday. Love you so very much Belk family.
Bonnie Battler
Bonnie Battler
Sending our Very Deepest Condolences to Steve, Bev & Families on the loss of Your Special & Loving Son, Husband, Father & Friend. There are no words that can make this loss any easier. We will Send Our Prayers for Our Lord to Guide and Keep Your Families Strong in the Days & Weeks ahead. As you continue this Journey of Grief & Loss. Hold all of Your Special Family Times & Memories Close to Your Hearts. God Bless All!💐
Roger & Bonnie Battler
Harold White
Our deepest sympathy in the sudden death of your son. May our Lord’s comfort carry you through this difficult time.
Harold & Susan White
Barbara and John Burk
Steve, Bev, James, Sarah and Families. We are so very sorry for your loss. Sending our love and please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers during this sad time.
Pam and Zameer
Steve and Bev… I am so so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and all the family.
May God keep his arms around you tightly as you grieve. Share the memories, and know, he knows how loved he was.
Our sincere condolences from us both.
Deb & Terry Williamson
Sarah and family our sincere condolences. We were blessed to have known Phil and been neighbours since moving to Seaforth. Phil was such a kind soul who would always lend a hand whenever needed. His love of family always shone brightly. Our hearts are broken for Sarah and his family
dale baechler
Steve, Bev, Sarah and family. My prayers go out to all the family that is going through this difficult time. Phil will be sadly missed by everyone.
Marion Good
Steve, Bev and family – my sincere sympathy and caring thoughts are with you as you walk through this dark valley of grief. May you cherish many fond memories and may God give you extra strength for the days ahead.
Fran Brubacher
Bev, Steve, Sarah and family
So sad and shocking to hear of Phil’s passing. Praying for God’s comfort and peace at this time.
Bev & Arthur Sale
Sarah .. We are so sorry for the loss of your husband, Phil. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Bev & Art Sale
Chantal Hay
I was fortunate enough to have the Belk family as neighbors for many years.
I witnessed the love , and devotion he had to Sarah, Leah and Ben. He was a wonderful father ,fantastic Papa and a loving husband.
Phil was a person you could count on , and trust always.
He was also a person who could make you laugh, and I mean laugh…..
His humor was legendary.
He was usually the life of every neighborhood get together. He will be missed terribly. The world is definitely sadder without him .
But, I know he is still watching over his family now and always.
This isn’t good bye, it is till we meet again .
Sending love to all of Phil’s family and friends.
Ron and Donna Galloway
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family
Raji Kirupananthan
Dear Bev, Steve and family,
My deepest sympathy on the sudden passing away of your beloved son Phil. May our Lord be your strength and comfort at this difficult time.
Raji
Erin and Jason Crawford
Our sincere condolences Sarah and family. Phil will be missed.
Arend and Janny Streutker
Sarah and Family,
We were so shocked when we heard about the passing of your beloved husband and father.
Our thoughts are with you.
May you feel the Love and Care from all the people around you.
Helen Myers and family.
Steve, Bev, Sarah and family Deepest sympathy on Phil’s sudden death, prayers and thoughts are with you.
Gary and Dianne Bennett
Sara and family, our deepest sympathy on the loss of Phil. He was a great neighbour and we will miss him deeply.
Rick Ingram
I am so sorry for your loss. I enjoyed talking to Phil about fishing and hunting and things he had done. I enjoyed working with Phil
Grant & Susan Nixon
We are so saddened by your loss. Words can never express our sorrow. Hugs & Prayers to you folks. 🙏✝️❤️
Dirk and Jennifer Schipper
Dear Sarah and family,
We were devastated to hear of your tremendous loss. Phil was certainly one of a kind. Passionate. Fun. Dedicated. Hard working. Animated. He’d give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. There was never a dull moment when he was around. His presence and personality will be missed.
Sarah, if you need ANYTHING, we want you to know that we are here for you.
Sending you all of our love,
Dirk and Jennifer Schipper
Mark Diefenbaker
Will miss Phil’s sense of humor and outstanding personality. Always the life of the party and the vibrant center of attention. Such a unique individual who had the ability to make you smile and laugh even when you didn’t want to.
I’ve spent the last few days since learning of his passing thinking of the fun we had working together at ODG.
Deepest condolences to Sarah, Leah, Ben and family, you’re in my thoughts during this difficult time.
Laura
My deepest condolences to Phil’s family at this incredibly difficult time.
Phil was a co-worker that became a friend.
He always treated people equitably, lead by example and shared his opinions in a respectful and open minded way.
Phil expressed his love for his wife and family openly, showed dedication to his career goals and shared what he learned through his quest for knowledge and constant improvement.
I hope it provides you with peace knowing that Phil leaves a legacy with so many of us. He is and will remain missed by so many.
Ken Shine
On behalf of our staff at West Pier Lubricants we would like to send the family of Phil and the staff at Hensall Co-op Op our deepest condolences. Having worked with Phil I can say he was a great guy to deal with and always a pleasure to talk with about adventures. He will be deeply missed.
Ken Shine
Roblyn & Paul Tetzlaff
Dear Sarah and family. This is such a shocking loss.
Our deepest sympathies.
We have you in our hearts and prayers.
Cathie Laporte
Sincere condolences to Phil’s family on his sudden passing. He had a way of bringing a smile to many faces at work at ODG. May your memories help with your pain & healing.
Andrew Gardiner & Brenda Morrissey
Leah & Ethan we are sending our deepest condolences. Our thoughts are with you at this very difficult time.
Jenn Telfer
My deepest condolences to Phil’s family. Phil was the guy at work who didn’t just walk by you in the halls of work, he always said hello and that bright light truly will be missed. Keeping your family in my prayers as you grieve his loss.
Paul & Barb Weston
Dear Sarah & Family
We were shocked to hear of Phil’s sudden passing.
Sending you our sincerest condolences and keeping you in our thoughts & prayers during this difficult time.
Gord & Carol Roth
Steve and Bev and family, May your hearts be comforted by the Peace of God.
Barb Nolan
So sorry for your loss of Phil. You’re in our thoughts and prayers.
Elaine Chalmers
My deepest sympathy to Phil’s Family at this difficult time. I was shocked to hear that Phil had passed. What a loss! I worked with Phil for many years at ODG and will always remember his winning smile, hearty laugh, and his sense of humour.
Evelyn Huston
Sarah and family. I am saddened for your loss. My sincere condolences to you
Sherri Baier
Your soul was bright, your heart kind, and your presence unforgettable. Thank you for the laughter and the deep, likeminded moments. Holding your family in love, prayer, and light. Rest Easy, Phil.
The Anstetts
Sarah and family
Sending our deepest sympathy at this difficult time
Dick & Shirley Robinson
Our sincere condolences to you Sarah and family. He will be missed.
Kyle Dickey
Phil was a real gem to work with. I always enjoyed talking with him, and he taught me a great deal about the industry. His energy always brightened up my day, and he was always sure to drop in and talk with us. The office really won’t be the same without him.
NIck & Australia Terenzi
Although we only got to know Phil for the last 3 years you could see a man who loved his dog and the outdoors. It is hard to put into words hearing such tragic news like this. Our deepest sympathy goes out to his wife and kids. We pray that Phil is with the Lord our God walking his trusted companion in heaven RIP.
Grace and Emmanuel Ogor
Dear Bev and Steve!
With deepest regrets, and sorrow we received this sad news. May the Lord comfort you at this challenging time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and Phil’s family.
May his memory be a blessing.
Marlene and Chris
Sarah and Family, our deepest condolences on Phil’s sudden death.
Lucille and Bob Eaton
Dear Sarah, Ben, Leah and family,
We are so sorry to hear of Phil’s tragic passing, he was a good neighbour and we were so impressed by his strong love of animals. We’re close by, please don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s anything you need.
Shirley Koehle
I am so sorry to hear of your family’s sudden loss.
John & Stella Ruza
Dearest Bev, Steve, and Belk’s, Family.
Our heart aches with you. May you find comfort in God’s love. We pray that the Lord Jesus will envelope you in His peace reminding you that your beloved son, husband, and father now celebrates in the presence of Jesus, where there is no pain, only joy everlasting and each day is better than the previous.
We want to leave you with two Bible verses:
“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
God’s blessings are new every morning; may you experience His strength, compassion, and love.
John & Stella
First Baptist Church Friends in Jesus
Shelley & Rod Joiner
Sarah, we were stunned to learn that Phil had passed away. It was such a shock. Our hearts go out to you, Leah and Ben and their families at this difficult time. Prayers for your family.
Jim & Danica McNichol
We are so sorry to hear of Phil’s passing. He was such a great neighbour. Also willing to lend a helping hand. Sending all the family our sincere condolences.
Marilyn Parker
Bev, Steve, Sarah & family:
Our hearts go out to you all at this difficult time. So sorry for the loss of your son, husband, dad, brother, etc.
Our prayers are with you.
The Donald Mohr family
Bob and Wendy Patrick
So sorry to hear of Phil’s sudden passing, he was a great guy and we be truly missed by many..
Bill and Nancy McLeod
We are sending our deepest sympathies on this sad occasion.
It looked like Phil had a full life living it to his fullest potential.
Rest in peace Phil.
Abiola and Fiyin Olaitan
Our sincere condolences to Steve, Bev, and Phil’s family over this sudden loss. May Almighty God comfort you all and give you strength as you go through this difficult moment. May the peace of God fill your hearts.
Tim Schulte
I am so sorry for your loss. Phil was a very smart and great Man. The time I did spend with him I will cherish.
Betty and Art Burns
Sarah and family. We are so sorry for your sudden loss of your husband, father, friend . Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Sandi Young
Phil was a true gem and I am grateful to have known him — My deepest condolences to all the Family. I have been thinking of all the great conversations, laughter and fun we had through the years of working together — He will be greatly missed.
Andrea Alexander
To all of Phil’s Family & Friends
The vigor, vitality and energy level that Phil brought to work was bar none and will surely be missed. May you all find comfort and peace in the days ahead. Rest in the Sweetest Peace Phil.
~Andrea Alexander~
andrew coates
Much love Phil ! May your spirit live on through your immediate family ! You were a hell of an expressive mind , one hell of a conversationalist and certainly an open mind . You touched my life and you will be missed .
My condolences to the ones he left behind . Your memories will be fond and will live on . Phil lived loud, large and proud .
Mike Oswald-Lamarre
Phil always had that electric energy that lit up a room with smiles. I had the pleasure of working with him at ODG and it was never a dull moment. Always found the joy in an otherwise bland conversation, and frequently reminded me that we’re still allowed to have a bit of fun in a professional environment. I’m crushed to learn of his passing. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. He was a beautiful soul and the world is darker without him in it.
Tammy Harris
Kylie,
While I did not know your dear Papa, I am sure he was very proud of you and loved you dearly.
I send you and your family lots of hugs.
Mrs. Harris
Ralph Mckellar
Ralph and Angela Mckellar
We are sending our deepest condolences to Phil’s family our thoughts and prayers go out to you all at this very difficult time
Terry Mockler
My condolences to Phil’s family. Phil was very hard working, conscientious, and had a fantastic sense of humour. He made work a ton of fun and gave us many laughs in the yard, before he went to work in the office at Hensall. You’ll be missed by many co-workers who were touched by your fun spirit Phil.
David & Fatima Grosso
My deepest condolences. Truly a loss for the whole community. Sending our love & prayers.
Elizabeth
Deeply respected by his peers, colleagues, and team at Hensall Co-op, his lasting impact will continue to inspire those who had the privilege of working with him.
Doreen & Wally Wiegand
Bev, Steve & Family,
News of Phil’s passing has been devastating and we can not even begin to understand what you are going through at this time. May the care and love of those around you bring you comfort. Our most heartfelt condolences.
Ryan Austin
Absolutely shocked at this , I went to high-school with Phil and , worked with him at Argo . Phil was always a great guy and came from a great family . My condolences to everyone . Much love during this time .
Ryan Austin
Tarin
Sending my condolences during this difficult time. I will miss my lunch time walks with Phil at work. He spoke about Sarah and his kids every day and was so proud of all of you. I know he will be deeply missed.
Don and Anne Roi
Steve, Bev and family
Thinking of you during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to you and your family. You are in our prayers.
Carol Leeming
Sarah and family,
I am so sorry to hear of Phil’s passing.
My sincere condolences.
Glen and Marianne Warwick
To Sarah and family, we were very sad to hear of the passing of a loving husband, father and grandfather, Glen and l enjoyed talking to him at the summer neighborhood party
Niall Corey
I’m still shocked by the news of Phil’s sudden and unexpected passing. I worked with Phil closely for several years and enjoyed his personable and friendly attitude. I extend my sincerest condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time. Rest in Peace
Carol Gorenc
Sending heartfelt condolences to Sarah, Steve, Bev and family. Phil was my respected colleague at ODG for many years and I am deeply saddened to hear of his passing.
Beulah
Beulah Schwartzentruber
So very sorry for your loss. I worked at ODG when Phil worked there. He always made me laugh. Such a nice young man. My sincere condolences.
Craig and Vicky Thompson
Dear ,Sarah and family we are so shocked and saddened to hear about the passing of Phil . Sending you all are thoughts and prayers at this difficult time
Mary & Jim Barnes
Dear Sarah and family:
Deepest sympathy on your tremendous loss.
Mary & Jim
Rose & Rob Rathwell
Sarah and family we send our deepest condolences. Our thoughts are with you all this difficult time.