MIchael Greene Price

Michael Greene Price was born on August 11, 1941 in Newark, New Jersey, the eldest of four children of Selma Kaplan Price and Nathaniel Price. He died peacefully on Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, 2025, age 83, in Jackson, Michigan.
Mike grew up in the Bronx in New York City and graduated from the Bronx High School of Science. He studied Botany at Delaware Valley College then enrolled in the Peace Corps, taking him to the Philippines which became his lifelong second home. After the Peace Corps, Mike completed his Master's degree in Botany in 1975 at the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB), specializing in ferns (pteridophytes). His thesis, the Pteridophytes of Mount Makiling and Vicinity, remains a valuable contribution to fern research. Mike continued his graduate work in Botany at the University of Michigan in 1976, bringing to the U.S. his first wife Grace, a Philippine botanist he met at UPLB and two young children. In 1993, Mike moved from Ann Arbor to Jackson, Michigan, cultivating edible trees and plants and raising ducks on his farm with his wife Aires, an agriculturist from Davao, Philippines. During his years in Michigan, Mike made trips back to the Philippines to collect ferns for various plant museums and also became an expert in Philippine history through his collection of books, picture postcards and original research. Mike enjoyed competitive sports including baseball, tennis and running, which he passed on to his children and grandchildren, and games including chess, scrabble and card games. He was a voracious reader, acquiring an encyclopedic knowledge of many subjects. In his late years, he enjoyed going on boat rides with his family, especially his grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, Mike was predeceased by his brother Howard. He is survived by his wife Aires, his sister Bunee Morrison and her husband Steve Morrison, his sister Joan Price Rahav, first wife Grace Romero, daughter Selya, son Eric and his wife Holly and their children Caleb, Seth, Lily, Zoe, and Dylan, Mike's niece Nika Bareket and her husband Zevi Bareket and their sons Ori and Maoz, Mike's nephew Avi Kayne, Mike's niece Dr. Miriam Rahav and her husband Yaron Nahum and their children Yarden, Lielle, Oren and Zohar, Mike's nephew Nathaniel Rahav and his wife Zahra Sherzad and their children Nurielle, Ella and Amaya, Mike and Aires' niece Heaven Grace, cousins Ayala Hochman, Bonnie Danish, Susan Gurman and their families, more cousins and extended family members, many beloved friends, and loving pets including dog Lucy and cat Midnight.
Mike was buried on March 23, 2025 at Cedar Park Cemetery in Paramus, New Jersey, in the family plot near his father, his mother, his grandma Jennie Pritzker, his brother, Uncle John and Aunt Pauline Pritzker, and other family members.
On Saturday, May 10, 2025, 2-6pm, his family is hosting a Celebration of Life in Jackson, Michigan. We will share remarks followed by food. Guests are welcome in person or via Zoom which will be recorded. Please contact his daughter Selya for further details and/or to send written remembrances and photos for compilation. If you would like to honor Mike, we know he would appreciate actions that benefit nature including planting a tree or garden, going for a walk, and enjoyment, appreciation and stewardship of the natural world.
Please visit www.hamptonfuneralhomes.com to sign the guestbook and/or send a condolence to the family.
Hampton Funeral Homes – Jackson
517-315-4333