Philip Crookshank passed away August 23, 2024, at the age of 80 following an illness. He was born 1944 in Grand Rapids and was the son of the late Charles and Joyce Crookshank. Phil is survived by a brother and was preceded in death by a sister and another brother. He is also survived by five nieces and a nephew.
For many years, Philip was a tool and die maker for Ford Motor Company, ending his career as a team leader often tasked with solving vexing technical problems. Phil had many remarkable skills and talents. He could build or fix almost anything, often inventing and improvising along the way. He was a skilled photographer and videographer and entertained many with his amusingly-captioned creations. His striking wildflower photos demonstrated a keen and artistic eye. Environmental and charitable organizations benefited from his generous contributions of time, effort and money: Sierra Club, American Lung Association, Ferris State University’s Theta Alpha Sigma fraternity, Friends of Maybury State Park, Friends of the Rouge River, Greenmead Historical Park, Holliday Nature Preserve, and American Youth Hostels Midweek Meanders.
In his decades long career with the Southeast Michigan Group (SEMG) Sierra Club, Phil led over 250 outings beginning in 1990 through 2023 and was the chair for most of that time, participating in the Executive Committee until shortly before his death. He was an avid nature and outdoors enthusiast, eager to share his knowledge and excitement with those who attended his excursions to 50 locations in three states and Ontario. To create interest in the outdoors, nature and the outings program, his offerings included hiking, canoeing, camping, cross-country skiing and biking. Not content to just “lead hikes,” Phil offered a varied array of adventures: nighttime hikes, picnics, campouts, and “nature studies” - often with his own inimitable twist. Every leaf, wildflower, bird, tree, rock, animal track and fungus was an opportunity for Phil to share his knowledge and transmit his love for nature and concern about the environment to others. There are myriad folks today in the Metro area who have benefited from this generous, kind and knowledgeable man’s many and varied talents.
A memorial gathering was held September 21 at Greenmead Historical Park, organized by Phil’s brother. Notifications were sent to as many folks as possible in the various groups in which Phil was active. The crowd at the venue paid tribute to Phil’s place in the lives and hearts of many. Per his wish, Phil’s body was cremated and his ashes scattered.