Phillip Gregory Fenton

Phillip Gregory Fenton

7.1.1946 - 10.25.2023

Phil Fenton -- beloved partner, brother and uncle -- passed from this life onto his next adventure on October 25, 2023.

Phil had a knack for making life a little brighter and a lot more fun for everyone around him. He had a big personality that was matched by a big heart. He was the kind of person who could strike up a conversation with anyone and make them feel like old friends within minutes.

There was little that Phil did not know how to do -- and whatever he didn’t know, he knew how to make it look like he still did. He was an electrician, mechanic, builder and carpenter, capable of remodeling homes and cottages with the best of them. This entrepreneurial spirit extended into Phil’s professional life. For many years, he worked for a crisis line in downtown Detroit, helping people in need. He also worked in finance for a period of time and had his own business of contracts with OSHA, installing windows, doors, insulation and more.

Phil was also a Vietnam veteran, and earned two Purple Hearts for his service.

Phil had many great loves in his life -- his partner Sharon, his numerous cats, the flowers in his backyard, fishing, and a cold can of Cherry Pepsi were chief among those loves. He found ways to focus on the fun things in life, and his irreverent humor combined with his witty perspectives always made his loved ones laugh (and sometimes roll their eyes).

Phil liked to travel with Sharon, brother Craig and sister-in-law Robin to tropical, sunny locations. He took many fishing trips to Canada with family, and went skiing up North with Craig and his cousins.

Phil took great pride in being the fun uncle, always spoiling his nieces and nephews, making him the favorite in their eyes (much to the chagrin of their parents). The best part of summer for his nieces and nephews was when they would come to spend a few weeks with him and Sharon. He took them to amusement parks, fireworks shows and carnivals, and on snowmobiling trips. He was always the first to say yes to a plea for an Elephant Ear or a Sanders Hot Fudge Cream Puff. His generosity extended beyond these fun-filled escapades -- he was happy to have his nieces live at his house while they were going to college and building their futures.

Phil enjoyed sharing his knowledge of everything with anyone who would listen, almost as much as he enjoyed Lunch Sticks donuts. In his younger days, neighbors would call him Wilson (from Home Improvement), because he would peer over the hedges to give them advice on whatever projects they were working on and answer every question they had. He taught Craig how to ride a bike, and taught his nieces and nephews how to swim, as well as how to fish and clean a catch. He also helped them with their many moves, and with home renovations. His nieces and nephews are particularly thankful for this, having bought “fixer-upper” homes despite lacking the prerequisite skillsets to fix them up.

Even at the end of his life, Phil continued to impart his knowledge, sharing everything that he did around the house -- pool maintenance, hedge shaping, hydroponics management, cat wrangling and more -- with Sharon for an easier transition before he left this world.

Phil is survived by Sharon Quinn, his partner of 48 years; brothers Craig (Robin) Huard, Scott Huard, and sister Jill Edgar; aunts Carol (Richard) Horsch and Lynn Bondy; brother-in-law Dennis Quinn, and sisters-in-law Sue Carver and Darlynn (Chuck) Potters; nephews Lloyd (Ashley) Edgar, Vincent Edgar, and John (Erin) Carver; nieces Meagan Quinn, Melissa (Ian) Beals, Chloe (Basheer) Bazoun, and Rachel Huard; as well as many cousins, and great nephews and nieces.

He is pre-deceased by grandparents Estelle and Vincent Bondy; parents Warren and Dolores Huard; uncles Dick Bondy and Ralph (Mary) Bondy; and nephew Christopher Potters.

His humor, wit and never-ending playlists of smooth jazz will be sorely missed.

A celebration of life will be held in July 2024. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Mott’s Children's Hospital, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or your preferred charity.