Phil Davies ('16)

Vale Phillip Davies, 17.11.1998—26.12.2024 

“A life lived in Christ and lived to the full” 

Phillip Davies (’16Ke), who died suddenly aged 26, has been remembered as a fun-loving young father and member of a Trinity family who threw himself into everything at the School and beyond. 

The RAAF aeronautical engineer, son of TAS teacher David, older brother of Nathaniel (’18), and brother-in-law of Miles Katay (’12), died while jogging at Newcastle during an extended family Christmas holiday. 

He was also a brother to teacher Stephanie Katay (Junior and Prep School), cousin to Stephen Davies (‘13), Aiden Davies (’15), Ben Davies (’17), Jonathan Hooper (’18), and Elijah Hooper (‘19), and nephew to TESS academic support staffer Fiona Davies.  

He was a very fit, regular runner and his death, from a suspected cardiac arrhythmia, stunned everyone who knew him. 

He left behind his two-year-old daughter Amelia and pregnant wife Kathryn – their second daughter is due in July - as well as parents David and Cynthia, older sisters Stephanie and Elizabeth, and younger brother Nathaniel. 

Phillip joined Trinity in Year 7 and quickly learned to embrace all the School had to offer. He played trumpet in the band, performing in concerts and marching with the band on ANZAC Days. He loved Cadets and was selected for the national Adventure Training Award (ATA) in 2015. 

He took part in the Berea mission, Bible study, and the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme. He ran in cross-country and played football, mostly as goalie, and volleyball. He and his father enjoyed the School’s 2015 Maths Science Tour to NASA headquarters in the USA.  

“He took advantage of everything the School had to offer. He learned to participate, to be more focused and to juggle so that he could fit it all in,” said his mum Cynthia. 

“We went to mother-son dinners and father-son breakfasts; we made a point as a family to do as many of those things as we could. 

“When I went to parent-teacher interviews I had only one question: do you like Phillip? And if they did, I was fine. He could be inattentive at times but he was quirky, funny, and clever. 

“He felt like the School had prepared him well for adult life.” 

Phillip soon displayed a flair for the sciences. By Year 8 he was devouring his older sister Stephanie’s physics textbooks as bedtime reading. In his HSC year he often sat at the back of the physics class reading university textbooks. 

When his dad joined the Trinity staff in 2012 his younger brother Nathaniel was delighted but Phillip was distraught. Asked why, he said: “Because dad’s going to know when I’m in trouble.” 

Following a gap year with the Air Force, Phillip studied aeronautical engineering at the Australian Defence Force Academy, at the Canberra campus of the UNSW, whilst completing his officer training. 

He joined the Focus Christian group on campus and it was during one of the group’s weekends away that he met Kathryn. A romance blossomed during the pandemic lockdowns. 

They married in 2021 and his first posting as an officer was to Edinburgh RAAF base in Adelaide, followed by the Richmond RAAF base in NSW. 

They set up home in Regents Park in 2023 and Phillip set about renovating their house with help from his handy father, David. 

“Working with Phillip on their renovation has meant a lot to me in recent months,” David said in his eulogy at St John’s, Ashfield. 

“The project was to make a great house but also to build a great relationship and I will always cherish the hours spent together pulling apart walls, going to the tip, talking through the best way to do things, measuring, hammering, drilling, grinding, lifting, and spending time with Phillip. 

“Seeing the immense love that Phillip had for Kathryn and Amelia allowed us to get to know them more. This has been a great blessing for Cynthia and me. 

“Over these past few weeks we have been reminded that God is a loving God who has a plan and while we are privileged to be a part of it, we don’t always understand it, and we don’t always like it. 

“Let’s continue to talk about Phillip’s life, an all too short life, one lived in Christ and lived to the full. 

“As you talk about Phillip, reflect on his love for God, his trust in Jesus, his love for others, his creativity, sense of fun, ability to laugh at himself and not take himself too seriously, and his dependable, loyal character.”