Edward Deeb May 4, 1936 - September 2, 2025. A Leader, a Mentor, and a Friend

Deeb was involved with numerous organizations in Michigan as well as the general community. He was a past president or board member with The Guild at Ascension / St. John Hospital and Medical Center, United Way for SE Michigan, Boy Scouts, Detroit Police Cadets, American Red Cross, Dean’s Advisory Council, U-M Dearborn, Detroit Athletic Club, Belle Isle Conservancy, Detroit Police Chief’s Advisory Council, Crime Stoppers, Eastern Market Corporation, and is listed in Who’s Who of America. He is also the former editor of Corp! Magazine. Photo by HB Meeks

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	Edward Deeb May 4, 1936 - September 2, 2025. A Leader, a Mentor, and a Friend HB Meeks - Special Reporting Tell Us USA News Network GROSSE POINT SHORES, MI - Edward Deeb, a prominent Detroit-area community leader whose six-decade commitment to civic service earned him national recognition, died Monday at his home in Bloomfield Township. He was 89. Deeb, who dedicated more than 65 years to addressing community challenges and fostering unity across ethnic and economic divides, was perhaps best known as the founder of Metro Detroit Youth Day, an annual Belle Isle celebration that has drawn thousands of young people for 41 years. Born in Detroit on May 4, 1936, Deeb built a reputation as what he called himself in his 2021 memoir — "The Go-To Guy" — someone who could bridge differences between businesses and government, resolve conflicts between ethnic communities, and champion causes for youth and small businesses. "He was a tireless patriot, peacemaker, entrepreneur, youth advocate and philanthropist," his family said in announcing his death. Deeb's impact extended far beyond Detroit's borders. In 1991, President George H.W. Bush presented him with the 477th Point of Light Award for his work inspiring young people through Metro Detroit Youth Day. His efforts following the 1967 Detroit riots, documenting damage to food stores, earned recognition from the U.S. Senate Investigations Committee. The Michigan State University journalism graduate, who attended on a music scholarship as a clarinetist, founded or co-founded more than a dozen organizations during his lifetime. These included the Michigan Food and Beverage Association, Michigan Business and Professional Association, and the Arab American and Chaldean Council. His work often focused on reconciling tensions between Arab and Chaldean store owners and African American communities. His extensive involvement in civic life included leadership roles with United Way for Southeastern Michigan, the Detroit Athletic Club, Belle Isle Conservancy, and the Boy Scouts of America, among many others. The lobby and conference room of MSU's Communications Arts building bear his name. Recognition for Deeb's service came from numerous quarters. He received honorary doctorates from Detroit College of Business, Davenport University, and Marygrove College. His awards included the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the George Romney Award for Lifetime Achievement in Volunteerism, and the FBI's National Director's Community Leadership Award in 2011. In 2018, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources honored Deeb by naming Edward Deeb Avenue on Belle Isle, near the site where Metro Detroit Youth Day takes place each year. Deeb served in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves and remained active in community service throughout his life. He and his wife Joanne were married for 58 years and lived in Grosse Pointe Shores for four decades before moving to Bloomfield Township. Deeb is survived by his wife Joanne, son George (Sarah) Deeb of Cary, North Carolina, daughter Jennifer (Michael) Kluge of Grosse Pointe, and five grandchildren. Edward Deeb's legacy of community service and youth advocacy spans more than six decades, touching countless lives throughout the Detroit metropolitan area and earning recognition at the highest levels of government.