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