His love sonnets, penned in class at Christchurch Boys' High School, were put to music by his music teacher and recorded by Richard Greagher.
Philip, a journalist, sailor, farmer, and genealogist, who also had a deep passion for opera, ballet, music, and theatre, lost his battle with cancer in early June. He was aged 76.
Philip was born on September 6, 1947, in Herne Bay, Auckland, the son of Ted and Ailsa Worthington, and moved to Christchurch with his family in his mid-teens when his father took a job there.
He was educated at Auckland Grammar and Christchurch Boys' High School.
Many in North Canterbury will remember Philip, along with his wife Kay, for introducing Rangiora High School students to the show movement in 2009 by giving them the opportunity to learn to handle and lead their Lowline cattle and show them at the Canterbury A&P Show, and several local North Canterbury shows.
But before Philip entered the world of agriculture, he worked for The Christchurch Press for 38 years, starting as a cadet straight from school in 1966 after his parents discouraged him from following his love of performing and going on stage.
His journalism career began as a copy boy for the first six months, running up and down stairs delivering copy to various departments, and collecting copy off the train from the Ashburton office.
It culminated in him winning a Qantas award for Editorial Writer of the Year in 1992.
Philip spent three years in the Parliamentary Press Gallery for The Press, thriving on the cut and thrust of politics in the Rob Muldoon and David Lange era.
He enjoyed the fascinating debates and the late-night poker games between MPs and journalists.
When he returned to the Christchurch office, he became a leader writer, and also met Kay Forrester. The couple were married for nearly 40 years.
In March 1995, having already sampled farming on a small block at Balcairn and the Forrester family farm, Philip retired from journalism to run the Forrester family farm at Fernside, when Kay’s father died in late 1994.
Woolstone became a busy home to the couple where they ran about 500 goats, and sheep, while Kay continued her journalism career at The Press.
Philip didn't like sheep - so not too many years later Lowline cattle, of which he was fond of, began appearing at Woolstone.
This led him into showing, and cattle judging both in New Zealand and Australia.
A strong relationship was formed with Pittsworth State High School, about two hours from Brisbane in Queensland.
Students who were selected at the Canterbury A&P show during the youth competitions took part in exchanges to Australia, under the wing of Philip and Kay, gaining experience showing cattle as part of the school curriculum, while Australian students were able to enjoy Worthington’s hospitality and showing at the Canterbury A&P Show as part of their student team.
Although the students and Philip were nearly 60 years apart, he enjoyed teaching them, learning from them and watching the passion and the skills many a young student enjoyed and gained.
The Woolstone team formed a Guard of Honour at the celebration of life for Philip.
Having broken his back in a car accident more than 50 years ago, he first went out on a boat still in calipers, with the Archer family. He enjoyed his time aboard a succession of keelers in Lyttelton, including races to Fiji and Australia in his younger days.
His adventures culminated in the Sydney to Hobart race in 1994-1995 on the yacht Archon.
But his greatest sailing adventure was with Sir Peter Blake, taking the helm for a time during a trip from Nelson to Lyttelton.
Philip was patron and committee member of the Northern A&P Show and was on the general committee, and cattle committee of the Canterbury A&P Show.
He wrote a book on the Rangiora Northern A&P Show for its 150th anniversary.
He was chairman of the Waimakariri branch of the Genealogy Society, and researched his own European and Maori heritage, along with helping others to discover their own family history.
He also gave presentations on how to get started researching family history.
Philip is missed by his wife Kay, mother-in-law Isabel and brother-in-law John, and cousin and brother Malcolm.
