Michael (Mike) Phares' Obituary
Devoted dad, Pops, friend, uncle, brother, and husband Michael (Mike) Phares died peacefully on July 19, 2025, in Dallas, Texas.
Mike was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 21, 1952, to his parents Fred Jackson Phares Jr. and Nancye Johnson Phares, and was welcomed home alongside his older brother, Fred. The Phares family loved to spend summers in Virginia visiting Nancye’s Johnson family cohort, where Mike spent time with beloved uncles, aunts, and cousins, who would remain an important part of his life for many years to come.
He attended Center High School in Kansas City, where he was awarded numerous superlatives including “Most Bashful” and “Flirt” (it is unclear if Mike himself voted in these elections). After a brief stint as the trumpeter in a local brass funk band called The Brass Tac (or as Mike might say, “Mike Phares and the Brass Tac”), he received a Bachelor of Economics and went on to pursue a Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Mike spent his decades-long career in the construction and architectural glass and aluminum industries, working for companies including Vistawall and Oldcastle Glass, before retiring from Baker Metal Products. Any time one of his daughters would call him at work and ask what he was doing, he would reply, “Counting screws,” which was, of course, an understatement. He was an integral part of building projects around the country, from PDX International Airport in Portland, Oregon, to commercial and residential buildings in New York City, Chicago, Dallas, and more.
Mike was a dedicated member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Mesquite, Texas, for 35 years, where he sang in the choir and served as co-president of the church council, a role he took great pride in until his final days. He assisted in worship services, performed in innumerable skits and dramatizations, and there is photographic evidence that he limboed in the church’s gym in celebration of Mardi Gras on at least one occasion. OSL, its members, and its Pastor, John Schelter, were a hugely important part of his life and faith.
Let it not be forgotten that Mike was a Chiefs fan for decades and was fortunate enough to witness their renaissance after a 50-year drought (please do not mention the 2025 Super Bowl out of respect for the family). A fixture in his home at any given time was a Chiefs-branded foam “Bad Call Brick,” which he almost never threw at the television. He was an avid golfer who had the opportunity to play on a variety of courses around the country, from Creekview Golf Course in Crandall, Texas, to Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida, to the famous Pebble Beach Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California.
Mike will always be remembered for his wit, his signature smile, his patience, and the dedicated love and support he provided his daughters and countless others. We will miss him always, and his memory will live on eternally. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Nancye; his brother, Fred; and his wife, Kim; and is survived by his daughters Becki Howard and Rachel Phares, his sons in law Kevin Howard and Rudy Rihner, and his grandson Felix Phares Howard.
A memorial/celebration of life service was held at 11:00 am on August 23, 2025 at Our Savior Lutheran Church at 411 N Town East Boulevard, Mesquite, TX.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made, in memory of Mike, to his church home of over 35 years Our Savior Lutheran Church or the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. — 2 Timothy 4:7
What’s your fondest memory of Michael?
What’s a lesson you learned from Michael?
Share a story where Michael's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Michael you’ll never forget.
How did Michael make you smile?
