48 | NOVEMBER 7 • 2024 

OBITUARIES
OF BLESSED MEMORY

D

r. Harris Mainster dedi-
cated his life to medical 
service both at home and 
across the world. He died Oct. 10, 
2024, at the age of 87.
Known for his extraordinary 
commitment to helping others, 
Harris spent 50 summers volun-
teering his surgical skills in remote 
parts of the world — and never 
once sent a bill. He and his wife, 
Phoebe, shouldered the costs of 
each mission trip, driven solely by 
sheer generosity, unending com-
passion, a bit of stubbornness and 
a steadfast sense of duty to the 
underserved.
Harris’ mother, Bella, an immi-
grant from Belarus, and his father, 
Morris, an immigrant from out-
side Kiev who worked as a kosher 
butcher and taxi driver, instilled 
a strong work ethic in Harris and 
his two older sisters, Blanche and 
Harriet. 
Raised in a tenement in the 
Bronx, Harris graduated from an 
accelerated school in New York 
City, Stuyvesant High School, with 
aspirations of becoming a doctor. 
Having applied to only one college, 
the University of Michigan, he 
arrived in Ann Arbor with a couple 
suitcases and a vision. 
He was only 15 years old.
Harris met the love of his life, 
Phoebe, at Far Rockaway Beach in 
New York during a summer break 
from college when he was 17 and 
she was 15. Phoebe, who would 
later earn a Ph.D. in medieval 
English literature, found a partner 
who also saw the world as a place 
to serve.
They married in 1960, moved 
into a humble attic apartment in 
Detroit and immediately started 
looking for ways to help change the 
world.
In 1964, at the age of 27, Harris 
completed his general surgery 
residency at Zieger Osteopathic 

Hospital. He and Phoebe then 
applied to join the Peace Corps. 
They promptly learned that they 
were ineligible because the Peace 
Corps didn’t accept married couples 
with young children on their 
missions, so they decided to embark 
on their own path of global service.
It was a service that would last 
the next 50 years for six-to-eight 
weeks each summer.
Their first mission trip took 
them to Nicaragua in 1971 where 
Harris performed surgeries for 
patients in need while Phoebe 
taught English. Accompanied by 
their daughters, the girls learned 
that while other kids went to camp, 
they would “go to countries.”
Bringing along their mosquito 
nets and a lot of patience, Harris 
and Phoebe immersed themselves 

in foreign cultures, learning the 
community, and fostering a spirit 
of empathy and openness in 
their children and later, in their 
grandchildren, that would last a 
lifetime.
Throughout his career, Harris’ 
dedication to his patients and 
colleagues was unwavering.
In 1964, he joined Botsford 
Hospital (now Corewell Health 
Farmington Hills), where he 
remained for over 60 years, 
working until the final months of 
his life. Known for his wisdom, 
unmatched stamina and brilliant 
insights, Harris served as a board 
member of Beaumont Health, 
chairman of the department of 
surgery and chief of surgery.
He also served as a professor at 
Michigan State University College 
of Osteopathic Medicine for 60 
years, passing on his expertise 
and compassion to generations 
of medical students who rotated 
during his service, including his 
own grandson, Miles Menuck.

When he and Phoebe weren’t 
in Michigan, they were overseas 
performing surgeries and teach-
ing English in Burkina Faso, New 
Guinea, Bolivia, Liberia, Indonesia, 
Israel, Ethiopia, Nepal, Haiti, 
Burundi and American Samoa, to 
name just a few places.

His commitment extended 
beyond performing surgeries, as 
he was deeply invested in teaching 
local doctors and healthcare work-
ers by sharing his knowledge so 
that his medical expertise would 
remain after he returned home.
As Phoebe described, “Harris 
is as interested in teaching as he 
is in doing surgery … He hopes 
that what he leaves behind will be 
shared by the next several genera-
tions of physicians.”
One of Harris’ most cherished 
memories was his mission to 
Riga, Latvia, where he assisted in 
upgrading the surgical division of 
a historic Jewish hospital that had 
endured occupation by multiple 
oppressive regimes. The signifi-
cance of restoring a hospital that 
had served the Jewish community 
was deeply personal, and Harris’ 
contributions left the hospital with 
a lasting legacy.
A life filled with love and ded-
ication to his family, patients and 
community, Harris was a pillar 
of the Detroit Jewish community. 
He served on a myriad of boards, 
including Congregation Beth Ahm, 
where he was twice president.
He is survived by his beloved 
wife of 64 years, Phoebe, who 
was not only his life partner but 
also his collaborator in countless 
humanitarian efforts; as well as 
his daughters, Arlene (Daniel) 
Holtzman and Jill (Craig) Menuck; 
and grandchildren, Brandon, Joe, 
Sam, Jamie, Miles, Casie, Harrison, 
Jessica and Eli.
His family was an immense 
source of pride for him. 
Harris’ legacy continues to 
inspire those who had the privilege 
of knowing him and countless oth-
ers whose lives he touched — and 
saved — around the world. 
 
 
An earlier obituary for Dr. Mainster 
appeared on Oct. 24, page 55.

A Lifetime of Helping Others

ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Dr. Mainster traveled the globe 
helping others.

Dr. Harris 
Mainster

