Philip Ponvert

ponvert, philip 6/17/1964 - 5/15/2015 Sedona, Arizona Philip Ponvert died May 15, 2015 at his home in Sedona, Arizona, encircled by his wife Robin, his sons Nicholas and Nathaniel, his daughter-in-law Amanda, his mother Phyllis, his brother Antonio and his 17 year-old cat Zoomie. Phil, a master woodworker and furniture designer, and a passionate bicyclist and fly fisherman, was born June 17, 1964 in Newport RI to Phyllis Ponvert of Ann Arbor MI and Antonio Ponvert, Jr. of Newport RI. After graduating from Ann Arbor's Pioneer High School in 1982, Phil apprenticed with noted furniture maker, Hank Gilpin. Phil and Robin Donaldson, high school sweethearts, were married on a summer day in 1986, and afterwards lived in Dexter, MI, where Phil opened a woodworking shop. In 2000, Phil's family moved to Sedona, Arizona, where he continued to make custom furniture for clients from coast to coast. He loved hiking and camping, riding his bike, spending time with his family, giving people gifts, making people laugh, and finding cool stuff at garage and sidewalk sales wherever he travelled. For years, he guided trout fisherman in Oak Creek Canyon and led his own astronomy shows. Phil was an extremely funny, kind, and generous man. He was unfailingly loyal to his many friends. He loved animals of all kinds, especially cats, and most especially his childhood cat Charlie. He was a beautiful husband, father, son, brother, and uncle. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2012, but he continued to live life with humor, passion, and love, and he brought joy and wisdom to all who knew him until the day he died. In addition to his wife Robin, their sons Nathaniel and Nicholas, their daughter-in-law Amanda, and his mother Phyllis Ponvert, of Ann Arbor, Phil is remembered and will be loved and missed always by his brother Antonio Ponvert III, his sister-in-law Celia, and his nephews Story and Quincy Ponvert, all of New Haven, CT, his father-in-law Bob Donaldson of Sedona, his niece Luisa Ponvert, of Ann Arbor, his friend Chris Herdell, and his many other friends in Rhode Island, Ann Arbor and Sedona. His sister Adele Ponvert, of Ann Arbor, died in 2009. Phil asked that people remember him by volunteering and donating to their local Humane Society.