Shuko Kuwahara Philips

PHILIPS, Shuko Kuwahara-Age 81 of Durand, died Sunday, January 14, 2007 at McLaren Regional Medical Center.  Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Thursday, January 18, 2007 at St. John The Evangelist Catholic Church, 600 N. Adelaide St., Fenton.  Fr. Paul Jannakos officiating.  Visitation will be held at Sharp Funeral Homes, Miller Road Chapel, 8138 Miller Road, Swartz Creek from 12-4 and 6-9 PM Wednesday, where a Parastas service will be held at 7:30 PM. Visitation will also be held from 9:30 until the service time Thursday at the church. Mrs. Philips was born November 25, 1925 in Nara, Japan to Yonekidu Samon and Rideya Kuwahara.  She was christened Yuriah in the Russian Orthodox Church.  She was a music school student during WWII.  She met U.S. Army Sgt. Richard Philips in 1949 when he was stationed at Camp Sakei near Osaka.  They married on March 9, 1951.  She followed him back to the U.S. in 1952 and became a U.S. citizen on November 19, 1956.  Throughout the 1960's Shuko often gave lectures on her native country and was well-known in the local Japanese American Community.  She was a talented artist, musician and singer who performed with the Owosso Community Players in the late 1960's and later sang with the Owosso Musicale and her church choir.  She earned an art degree at Mott Community College, where she worked as a receptionist in the Guidance Counseling office until her retirement in 1989.  She continued to study art and show her work at shows and galleries throughout the area, most recently with the Greater Flint Arts Council.  She was a member of St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church in Fenton where she sang in the choir.  Surviving are: husband, Richard; son, Paul (Gail) Philips of Clio; daughter, Elizabeth Shaw of Swartz Creek; Granddaughters, Summer Herrick, Courtney Shaw and Lauren May; grandson, Nathan Shaw; sister, Toshiko Mukai; many nieces and nephews in Nara and Kyoto, Japan. Friends may post a tribute or send a condolence to the family at www.sharpfuneralhomes.com