Phillip A. Salopek Sr., of Chelsea, MI, formerly of Grass Lake, MI, Laurel, MD, and Battle Creek, MI, age 76, passed away from complications of frontotemporal dementia on Monday, March 25, 2024 at the Chelsea Retirement Community-Towsley Village.
He was born December 9, 1947 in Battle Creek, MI, the son of Antony and Eleanor (Huff) Salopek. He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathleen (Sherwood) Salopek, and is survived by two children, Maureen Noble of Ann Arbor, MI, and Phillip (Cindy) Salopek Jr. of Clarksville, MD; four grandchildren: Scott (Taylor) Salopek, Erica Noble, Russell Noble, and Caroline Salopek; one great-grandson, Sutton Salopek; sister, Kathryn (Abe) Villalobos of AZ; and brothers/sisters-in-law: Rebecca Green of Battle Creek, MI, Lisa (Michael) Pessetti of Hastings, MI, Kevin (Ludasha) Sherwood of FL, Matthew (Patty) Sherwood of IN, and Amy (Jim) Lewis of OK.
Phil had lived in the Chelsea and Grass Lake areas for the past fifteen years, moving from Maryland after retirement. He spent his childhood years in Battle Creek and was a graduate of the St. Philip High School Class of 1965. Phil was also a proud Kalamazoo College Alumni and student athlete, where he earned all-conference honors in 1967 as catcher of the baseball team. He received his Master’s degree in Sociology from Michigan State University, and retired as a Branch Chief after a distinguished 30-year career with the U.S. Census Bureau.
Phil was most recently a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Chelsea. In retirement, he embraced the raising and training of Portuguese Water Dog and Havanese show dogs. He was a lifelong athlete, who became an avid golfer, and cherished the opportunities to watch his grandchildren perform in their sports activities. Phil was a devoted husband, loving father, and doting Poppa, and enjoyed annual trips to the Outer Banks, NC with his family. He will be fondly remembered for his warm and easy demeanor, his infectious smile, his steadfastness, and his wonderful sense of humor, and he was deeply loved by all who had the honor to know him.
Christian Service and Burial will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2024, 11:00 a.m., at Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea. The family will receive friends at the funeral home beginning at 10:30 a.m. Memorial contributions in Phil’s memory may be made to The Association of Frontotemporal Degeneration or the UMRC Porter Hills Foundation (foundation.mybrio.org). Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.
