It was with great sadness that we discovered recently that Colin Phillips, a past President of UFO Research Queensland, passed away peacefully in 2025.
Colin held the position of President of UFORQ for many years, approximately from the late 1960s to 1988.
When my ex-husband and I first contacted Colin in 1988, he enthusiastically encouraged us to attend the next public meeting. We were met with a warm smile by Colin that night, which happened to be the night of the organizations AGM, and encouraged to both join UFO ResearchQueensland. From that time on Colin was very supportive of any contributions we made, and although we felt like “newbies” then, he further encouraged us to voice our opinions saying ,“we are all newbies when it comes to UFOs, no matter how long we have been involved because none of us have the
answers.”
Colin was very passionate about the UFO subject, never missing the opportunity to speak to the public, estimating he had given about 200 presentations to various interest groups over the years. He never knew a time in his life when he didn’t believe the reality of extraterrestrials, despite never having seen a UFO himself, and his belief
was no doubt supported by having a father who encouraged him to explore anything and everything, which he did with great energy.
Colin was very interested in natural health, informing anyone who would listen, of the latest “thing” that would help to keep them healthy and extend their life. He was also a member of the Palmistry Guild and delighted in reading people’s palms while “infotaining” them about their personal gifts and flaws. Colin was also active in Queensland’s anti-fluoridation movement and a great campaigner to remove it
from water supplies. He loved nature, animals and kept two parrots he trained to “do the right thing” when it came to their personal hygiene. (I’ll leave that to your
imagination.)
He liked a good joke, wasn’t afraid to voice his opinion, and kept us very entertained throughout the years. He made a huge contribution to UFO Research Queensland and left a legacy that we continue to build on. Colin was the beloved husband of Patricia,
stepfather to John and Toni, brother of Yvonne and Uncle to Michael, Peter and Anne.
On behalf of our team and all our members, we extend our condolences to his family.
Sheryl Gottschall
