The Memorial Candle Program has been designed to help offset the costs associated with the hosting this Tribute Website in perpetuity. Through the lighting of a memorial candle, your thoughtful gesture will be recorded in the Book of Memories and the proceeds will go directly towards helping ensure that the family and friends of Claude Phillips can continue to memorialize, re-visit, interact with each other and enhance this tribute for future generations.

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Claude Phillips
In Memory of
Claude S.
Phillips Jr.
1923 - 2014
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The lighting of a Memorial Candle not only provides a gesture of sympathy and support to the immediate family during their time of need but also provides the gift of extending the Book of Memories for future generations.

Claude the honest mentor.

I was hired by Western Michigan University in 1970. My field was West African history. I shortly joined the African Studies faculty of the Institute of International and Area Studies. It was there that I first met and collaborated with Claude S. Phillips. He was already a Professor, with research time in West Africa and books to his credit. Claude was friendly and a great encourager in my first years. One day, after lunch in the Bernhard Center, he took me aside and spoke briefly to me. “I like you. I want you to remain at WMU for a long time and make contributions here.” The he proceeded to tell me bluntly and succinctly what I needed to do and the time frame in which I would do it. This was not meant to be an introduction to a conversation. It was the kind of mentoring that did help me to have a four-decade career at WMU, and  I suspect that there were others too whom Claude helped. When I in turn became a Professor, I made it a point to initiate similar conversations with young faculty. Thank you Claude for caring enough to shake me up and set me down on my two good feet. I’m so glad I got to thank you a year ago at the 25 Year Club dinner.   Bruce Haight

Posted by Dr. Bruce M. Haight
Sunday April 20, 2014 at 4:07 pm
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