Obituary for Dr. Michael D. Fetters
Dr. Michael D. Fetters passed away after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer at his lake home on July 16, 2023. Mike was born to Kermit and Jan Fetters in Kenton, Ohio on August 20, 1961. Dr. Fetters is preceded in death by his father, Kermit. He is survived by his mother, Jan; his wife, Sayoko Moroi-Fetters; sons Kori, Tomoyuki, Kazuhisa, and Takashi Fetters; sisters, Vicki Skinner and Susan Campbell; and many loving friends, family and colleagues.
Mike was Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan (UM) and Founder/Director of the Japanese Family Health Program at UM. He was also Co-Founder and Director of the Michigan Mixed Methods Program at UM. In April of 2023, Mike was awarded the Curtis G. Hames Research Award by the National Society of Teachers of Family Medicine in Tampa, Florida.
The Fetters family hosted international students through American Field Service (AFS), so Mike’s early exposure to Japan was as an AFS high school student to Shizuoka, Japan. This experience influenced his education: BA in Japanese Studies at The Ohio State University (OSU), MD at OSU, family medicine residency at University of North Carolina (UNC), MPH in clinical epidemiology at UNC, MA in bioethics at Michigan State University (MSU). He was awarded Fulbright scholarships to Tochigi, Japan (1992) and Beijing, China (2016).
Mike joined the Department of Family Medicine in 1994, at UM. Mike was gifted and creative to integrate medicine and culture with the establishment of the UM Japanese Family Health Program in 1997. He created an innovative curriculum for culturally sensitive medical care to medical students, residents and clinicians. He established the Shizuoka-UM Advanced Residency Training, Education and Research in Family Medicine (SMARTER FM).
Mike is well-recognized as a physician scientist and mentor in mixed methods research (MMR), co-founding the UM Mixed Methods Program in 2015. His outstanding MMR teaching took him around the world to Canada, Denmark, United Kingdom, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Qatar, South Africa, Spain, Germany, and Japan. He was awarded the Japan America Society Award of Excellence, Outstanding Contribution Award of Japan Primary Care Association, Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award from The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, UM Humanism in Medicine, and MICHR Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award.
Mike enjoyed coaching soccer, baseball and basketball teams for his sons. They loved ocean, inland and Great Lake fishing. Mike enjoyed cooking their catches as well as other foods and entertaining. Mike was passionate about working on home projects, most recently focusing on his lake home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Michael D. Fetters, M.D., M.P.H., M.A., and John W. Creswell, Ph.D. Mixed Methods Innovation Fund and/or the Fetters-Sano-Asano Japanese Family Health Program Educational Fund. Checks may be made payable to “University of Michigan” and sent to 777 E. Eisenhower Pkwy., Suite 650, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Please include “in memory of Michael D. Fetters” in the memo line of the check or in an attached note, as well as the fund you wish to support. You may also call 734-764-6777 or visit the following link to make your gift https://victors.us/michaeldfetters
Memorial Gathering will be held on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at Nie Family Funeral Home, 3767 W. Liberty Road, Ann Arbor, from 12:00 pm until 3:00 pm. Celebration of Life will follow at 3:00 pm. The service will be live streamed at the following link beginning at 3:00 pm. The link will be available at 2:30 pm. podiumvideo.biz/dr-michael-d-fetters
Please sign the Tribute Wall and share a memory of Michael.
Mike was Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Michigan (UM) and Founder/Director of the Japanese Family Health Program at UM. He was also Co-Founder and Director of the Michigan Mixed Methods Program at UM. In April of 2023, Mike was awarded the Curtis G. Hames Research Award by the National Society of Teachers of Family Medicine in Tampa, Florida.
The Fetters family hosted international students through American Field Service (AFS), so Mike’s early exposure to Japan was as an AFS high school student to Shizuoka, Japan. This experience influenced his education: BA in Japanese Studies at The Ohio State University (OSU), MD at OSU, family medicine residency at University of North Carolina (UNC), MPH in clinical epidemiology at UNC, MA in bioethics at Michigan State University (MSU). He was awarded Fulbright scholarships to Tochigi, Japan (1992) and Beijing, China (2016).
Mike joined the Department of Family Medicine in 1994, at UM. Mike was gifted and creative to integrate medicine and culture with the establishment of the UM Japanese Family Health Program in 1997. He created an innovative curriculum for culturally sensitive medical care to medical students, residents and clinicians. He established the Shizuoka-UM Advanced Residency Training, Education and Research in Family Medicine (SMARTER FM).
Mike is well-recognized as a physician scientist and mentor in mixed methods research (MMR), co-founding the UM Mixed Methods Program in 2015. His outstanding MMR teaching took him around the world to Canada, Denmark, United Kingdom, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Qatar, South Africa, Spain, Germany, and Japan. He was awarded the Japan America Society Award of Excellence, Outstanding Contribution Award of Japan Primary Care Association, Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award from The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, UM Humanism in Medicine, and MICHR Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award.
Mike enjoyed coaching soccer, baseball and basketball teams for his sons. They loved ocean, inland and Great Lake fishing. Mike enjoyed cooking their catches as well as other foods and entertaining. Mike was passionate about working on home projects, most recently focusing on his lake home.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Michael D. Fetters, M.D., M.P.H., M.A., and John W. Creswell, Ph.D. Mixed Methods Innovation Fund and/or the Fetters-Sano-Asano Japanese Family Health Program Educational Fund. Checks may be made payable to “University of Michigan” and sent to 777 E. Eisenhower Pkwy., Suite 650, Ann Arbor, MI 48108. Please include “in memory of Michael D. Fetters” in the memo line of the check or in an attached note, as well as the fund you wish to support. You may also call 734-764-6777 or visit the following link to make your gift https://victors.us/michaeldfetters
Memorial Gathering will be held on Saturday, July 29, 2023 at Nie Family Funeral Home, 3767 W. Liberty Road, Ann Arbor, from 12:00 pm until 3:00 pm. Celebration of Life will follow at 3:00 pm. The service will be live streamed at the following link beginning at 3:00 pm. The link will be available at 2:30 pm. podiumvideo.biz/dr-michael-d-fetters
Please sign the Tribute Wall and share a memory of Michael.