in her eulogy that Michael and Rick,
her late husband, became best friends
walking the picket line during a
Detroit teachers' strike. Michael and
Kevin, with the Mays, became a fam-
ily by choice.
Every summer, Michael was art
director at Rick May's All Star Camp
for young adults with disabilities, and
he chaired the Shir Tikvah event com-
mittee raising funds for the Madison
Heights-based program. Michael led
arts and crafts when the synagogue
housed 30 visitors from South Oakland
Shelter during the July 4 week.
"For all the bat/bar mitzvah kids
at Shir Tikvah, Michael would create
a Kiddush cup that was presented
by the temple as a gift," Barbara
Watnick said. Michael also made the
synagogue's beautiful Kiddush cup
covered with Jewish symbols and
designed its elegant wooden shtender
(lectern) for holding the Torah.
Empty Bowls was Michael's pas-
sion project throughout the year. He
taught children and adults to make
ceramic bowls that he fired in his kiln
and glazed. After February's Empty
Bowls Shabbat, featuring Shir Tikvah
members' homemade soup and salad,
he posted on Facebook that $1,300 had
been raised "to help ease the problem
of hunger in our community."

Joyous Artistic Style
Synagogue members Pauline
Averbach and her husband, Chuck
Peacock, appreciated that Michael
drove to their home in Wyandotte
to "support our year-end fundraiser
to underwrite music in the Detroit
schools:' Averbach described her
friend's art style as "joyous, joyful,
generous and effective. He lived his
beliefs:'
Shir Tikvah friend Paula Zalesin
said, "Michael Phillips was a once-in-
a-lifetime event"
Michael is survived by his son, Kevin
Phillips; sister and brother-in-law,
Patricia and Moose Dailey; count-
less friends led by Joyce May, Barbara
Watnick and Jan Laurencelle; step-
mother, Joe Ann Phillips; and Kevin's
mother, Marcia "Kay" Phillips.
His parents were the late Ross and
the late Ilene Phillips.
Contributions may be made to Rick
May's All Star Camp, 900 Wilshire
Drive, Suite 202, Troy, MI 48084;
or Yad Ezra, 2850 W. 11 Mile Road,
Berkley, MI 48072. Interment was held
at Oakview Cemetery. Arrangements
were by Hebrew Memorial Chapel. E

They were
wonderful':

We hear kind words consistently. We're proud that
people feel comfortable enough with us to openly tell
us how much they appreciate what we did for them.
In fact, it's this appreciation that drives us to offer the
very best in comfort, compassion and service.

THE DORFMANCHAPEL

SERVING WITH DIGNITY, SANCTITY AND COMPASSION

www.thedorfmanchapel.com

30440 Twelve Mile Road
Farmington Hills • MI 48334
248.406.6000
TOLL FREE 1-866-406-6003
Licensed Funeral Directors:
Alan Dorfman, Jonathan Dorfman

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Obituaries

August 27 • 2015

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