Jeweler Joseph Michael, Family Man And Fisherman

Joseph John Michael, who expanded the Seattle jewelry business begun by his Lebanese-immigrant father in 1886, delighted in people, family traditions and fishing.

Not always in that order, said his son Gerry Michael, a Seattle accountant.

"He just loved to fish," Michael said. "His father taught him, and they used to fish with hand lines in Shilshole Bay. We always had three or four salmon in the freezer. My dad thought something was wrong with people who bought fish at the store."

When Mr. Michael ran Emco Sales wholesale jewelry, he covered six states by car, his jewelry cases and fishing pole in the trunk.

"He'd pull over somewhere between Billings and Butte, Mont., cast a line in the river and catch dinner," his son said. "He used to tie his own flies."

Mr. Michael died Wednesday (Jan. 13) after a stroke. He was 81.

Always the gentleman, Mr. Michael loved people. Gregarious and fun-loving, he could retell a good joke as well as invent one. That endeared him not only to family - 65 relatives at Christmas dinners in his West Seattle home were not uncommon - but to clients and friends.

It also made him a well-liked former president of Seattle's old Lebanese-Syrian-American Club, which maintains social traditions of the Arab-American community.

"My dad was always real conscious of his heritage," said his son. "Although we are half-Lebanese, we were raised to appreciate our traditions as well as American ways."

Mr. Michael also taught his children to love sports and academics.

Born in Seattle to parents who emigrated from Tula, Lebanon, in 1884, he attended Sacred Heart School and O'Dea High School, where he played baseball and football.

He worked summers and weekends in his father's business, Peter Michael Jewelers, one of Seattle's first retail jewelry firms. In 1938 he succeeded his father as owner.

A heart problem stemming from childhood rheumatic fever kept him from active military duty during World War II. But he proudly served in the harbor-security detail of the Coast Guard Reserve in Seattle.

In 1957, he founded Emco Sales and hit the road, traveling throughout the Northwest. He retired in the early 1990s; relatives now carry on the business.

Also surviving are his wife of 61 years, Ria Earnest Michael of Seattle; his children Joseph Michael of Seattle, Frank Michael of Bellevue and Christine Zillman of Port Orchard; 13 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

Mass will be said at 10 a.m. tomorrow at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 4139 42nd Ave. S.W., Seattle.

Carole Beers' phone message number is 206-464-2391. Her e-mail address is: cbeers@seattletimes.com