Mr. Phillip J. Chmura's Obituary
After a short, but valiant fight with brain cancer, Phil (aka Philbert) left this earth for an eternal quest; no doubt he is exploring the universe and its wonders. A traveler of the mind and body, Muskegon was his grounding place and where he spent most of his life.
The oldest child of Ruth and Bruno Chmura his surviving family includes: Ruth Chmura, daughter Lindsey (Luke) Petersen, favorite sisters: Virginia “Ginny” Spenner, Barbara (Richard) Langlois, Maggie Carlson, and brother Mike (Marlene) Chmura. Nieces and nephews, Drew Adam and Erik Chmura; Jackie Bywater and Jessie Evink; Lenny and Tucker Stewart; Leah and Jacob Carlson; great nieces Joslyn and Maddie Bywater and Sondra Burnham, Lindsey’s mother.
Phil had a wicked sense of humor and a keen interest in the oddities of life, which gave him a wide circle of diverse friends. People knew him as a guide, teacher and simply someone who saw the world a bit differently than most of us. He was analytical and metaphysical in his approach to life and the activities that he loved. One of his first interests was music, both rock and classical. He owned and played a few guitars and performed with garage bands in his early years. Blue Lake radio was on in his house when he wasn’t listening to The Beatles. He was well read and loved good literature—but art—was Phil’s true passion. He took up drawing and painting with classes at MCC, where he made friends in Muskegon’s visual art tribe. He began volunteering at the Muskegon Museum of Art in 2015 and was named Volunteer of the Year, 2015-16. It was at the MMA he began learning about the collection and museum culture. Phil was intelligent, reliable and kind—the best sort of person to have in your life.
A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, January 28, 2017, 4:30 PM at Muskegon Museum of Art, 296 W. Webster Ave. Memorial contributions may be made to Muskegon Museum of Art or the Muskegon Humane Society. Arrangements by the Walburn Chapel, 1547 W. Sherman Blvd. 231-759-8565.
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