Legislator Details
Image Description:
Robert D. Mahoney portrait from Manual 1959 p.lviii
Number of sessions served 9
Gender: Male
Age at election: 33
Vital Records Information:
Birth
Date: 10/16/1921
City: Duluth, MN
County: Saint Louis County, MN
Country: US
Death
Date: 3/29/2017
City:
County:
Country:
Type of Burial:
Burial
Date: 4/3/2017
City: Lansing, MI
County: Ingham County, MI
Country: US
Cemetery: Saint Joseph Cemetery
Marital Information:
married Jennie Kubinger, dau. of Charles and Elizabeth (Motz) Kubinger, in Detroit, 11/29/1941; children: 10, Gary, Roberta Ann (Staton), Rosemary (Sinutko), Dennis, Colleen (Sinutko), Joseph, Mark, Mike, Bill and Bob. Jennie was also blind.
Number of Children: 10
Background
Religion: Catholic
Military Service:
Occupation: insurance, businessman
Race: Caucasian or White
Education:
attended Holy Redeemer High School, Detroit and Northern High School, Detroit; Michigan School for the Blind
Biographical Sketch:
Son of Daniel L. and Isabelle (Anderson) Mahoney. Sold brooms and brushes, door-to-door in Detroit before entering politics. He served on the State Officers Compensation Commission after losing the 1972 election and was a Wayne County Commissioner [3 years]. He later became a lobbyist for the Michigan Hospital Association. Member of Blind Service Center, Detroit Council of Catholic Blind and Moose, and Knights of Columbus. Employed by the Wayne County Register of Deeds. He was living in East Lansing at the time of his death.
Notable Facts:
Blind from the age of 16. First Michigan legislator who was blind. His wife was the first blind person admitted to Adrian College.
He was one of the first in Michigan to get a guide dog.
Best known for legislation requiring young hunters to have safety training before getting a hunting license; law requiring vending stands in state building be run by a proprietor whos is blind. He was responsible for getting funding for WKAR radio "Talking Book" sub-channel.
Supported open housing and school busing.
Published an autobiography titled "Living Out of Sight" in the 1990s.
Sessions Served:
Committees Served On: House Policy , Social Services and Corrections , Taxation
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: County of Wayne (part).
Reason for Leaving Office: Lost Election
End of Term Status: Departed
Notes: Lost primary election. Chair: House Policy. Dem Vice-Chair: Social Services & Corrections.
Committees Served On: Insurance , Education , Social Services and Corrections , Taxation
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Chair of the Committee on Social Services and Corrections
Committees Served On: Insurance , Social Services and Corrections , Taxation
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Part of the city of Detroit in Wayne County
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Vice-chair: Social Services and Corrections.
Committees Served On: General Taxation , Insurance , Social Aid and Welfare, Supplies and Expenditures
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: 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 Social Aid and Welfare; Vice-Chair of the Committee on Supplies and Expenditures
Committees Served On: Aid to Handicapped, Insurance , Social Aid and Welfare
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Ward 21--all that portion lying westerly of a continuous line formed by the center lines of the following: beginning at the intersection of Kingsville and Kelly Aves and running along Kelly, Hayes, Harper, Chalmers, Mack, Conner, Jefferson to the Detroit Terminal RR, along this RR right-of-way to the Detroit River
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Notes: Chair of the Committee on Aid to Handicapped
Committees Served On: Aid to Handicapped, Insurance , Public Safety
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: City of Detroit ward 21- all that portion lying westerly of a continuous line formed by the center lines of the following: beginning at the intersection of Kingsville and Kelly Avenues and running along Kelly, Hayes, Harper, Chalmers, Mack, Connor, Jefferson to the Detroit Terminal RR, thence along said railroad right-of-way and on an extended line therefrom to the Detroit River.
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Committees Served On: Horticulture , Insurance , Local Taxation , Public Safety , Social Aid and Welfare
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Ward 21--all that portion lying westerly of a continuous line formed by the center lines of the following: beginning at the intersection of Kingsville and Kelly Aves and running along Kelly, Hayes, Harper, Chalmers, Mack, Conner, Jefferson to the Detroit RR thence along said railroad right-of-way and on an extended line therefrom to the Detroit River
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Committees Served On: Aid to Handicapped, Public Safety , Social Aid and Welfare, Towns and Counties
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: City of Detroit ward 21- all that portion lying westerly of a continuous line formed by the center lines of the following: beginning at the intersection of Kingsville and Kelly Avenues and running along Kelly, Hayes, Harper, Chalmers, Mack, Connor, Jefferson to the Detroit Terminal RR, thence along said railroad right-of-way and on an extended line therefrom to the Detroit River.
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Committees Served On: Aid to Handicapped, Public Safety , Towns and Counties
City of Residence: Detroit
County of Residence Wayne
District Description: Ward 21--all that portion lying westerly of a continuous line formed by the center lines of the following: beginning at the intersection of Kingsville and Kelly Aves and running along Kelly, Hayes, Harper, Chalmers, Mack, Conner, Jefferson to the Detroit
Reason for Leaving Office: N/A
End of Term Status: Re-elected
Bibliography:
Manual 1955 p.201; Manual 1957 p.197; PolGryd; MIMarRec 1867-1952; Gongwer 3/30/2017; LSJ 3/31/2017; LSJ 4/2/2017; Manual 1963-1964 p. 190
