Legislator Details
Number of sessions served 5
Gender: Male
Age at election: 63
Vital Records Information:
Birth
Date: 12/26/1901
City: Troy, NY
County: Rensselaer County, NY
Country: US
Death
Date: 5/29/1980
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Type of Burial:
Burial
Date:
City: Detroit, MI
County: Wayne County, MI
Country: US
Cemetery: Mount Olivet Cemetery
Marital Information:
married to Jane Marie Gignac in 1929; child: 1, William B.
Number of Children: 1
Background
Religion: Catholic
Military Service:
Occupation: teacher, lawyer, legal advisor
Race: Caucasian or White
Education:
graduate of St. Joseph's Academy (Troy, NY);
AB degree, Holy Cross College (Worcester, MA);
LLB & JD, University of Detroit
Biographical Sketch:
Irish ancestry. Son of William Bernard and Nellie M. (Shea) Fitzgerald. Lawyer and former legal advisor for U.S. Customs; served as assistant US district attorney and assistant Wayne Co. prosecutor; former member of Michigan Social Welfare Commission; Democratic Nation Committeeman; former instructor at the University of Detroit Law School; delegate of the Council of Social Agencies and American Association of Social Workers. Member: Detroit, Michigan, and American Bar Associations; Knights of Columbus; Elks; Gamma Eta Gamma; Federal Bar Association; American Judicature Society; Knights of Equity; Detroit Yacht Club; New York Athletic Club; Michigan Aero and Space Club; Knights of Columbus Club; Holy Cross Varsity Club; University of Detroit Law Alumni Association; Catholic Lawyers Club; National Law Club; Detroit Press Club; Bayview Yacht Club; Chamber of Commerce; National Welfare and Pension Fund Conference.
Notable Facts:
Committees: Corporation; Health Social Services and Retirement.
Once known as "Jimmy Hoffa's lawyer."
Last residence was Grosse Pointe Park, MI.
SR 614, 1980 Senate Journal, p. 1504, indicated he had died. No data or place of death in the resolution.
Sessions Served:
Committees Served On: Senate Business , Committee on Committees
City of Residence: Grosse Point Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: County of Wayne (part).
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Committees Served On: Committee on Committees , Senate Business
Postions Held: Democratic Leader
City of Residence: Grosse Pointe Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: County of Wayne (part).
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Departed
Committees Served On: Conservation and Tourist Industry , Corporations & Economic Development
City of Residence: Grosse Pointe Park
County of Residence Wayne
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Committees Served On: Corporations, Health, Social Services and Retirement
City of Residence: Grosse Pointe
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Cities of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park and part of the city of Detroit in Wayne County
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
Committees Served On: Corporations, Insurance , Judiciary , Labor , Taxation
City of Residence: Grosse Pointe Park
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Cities of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park and part of the city of Detroit in Wayne County
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Chair of the Committee on Taxation; Vice-Chair of the Committee on the Judiciary
Bibliography:
MIDeaths 1971-96; SSDI; Manual 1965-66, p. 169-70; Manual 1967-68, p. 171; Manual 1971-72, p.182-83; Find-a-Grave.com; DetNews 5/31/1980 p.C2
