SCR 13

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 13
Senators Brinks,
Nesbitt, Albert, Anthony, Bayer, Bellino, Bumstead, Camilleri, Cavanagh, Chang,
Cherry, Daley, Damoose, Geiss, Greene, Hauck, Hertel, Hoitenga, Huizenga,
Irwin, Johnson, Klinefelt, Lauwers, Lindsey, McBroom, McCann, McMorrow, Moss,
Outman, Polehanki, Runestad, Santana, Shink, Singh, Theis, Victory, Webber and
Wojno offered the following concurrent resolution:
A concurrent resolution of tribute offered as a memorial for
R. Robert Geake, former member of the Senate and House of Representatives.
Whereas, The members of the Legislature were greatly saddened
to learn of the passing of R. Robert Geake. In his 26 years as a legislator,
Robert Geake served the people of northwestern Wayne County with quiet
dedication. Recognized as a statesman for his steady approach, thoughtful
leadership, and deep intellect, he will long serve as a model of public service
in the state of Michigan; and
Whereas, R. Robert Geake was born on October 26, 1936, in
Detroit and grew up in Ferndale. He pursued higher education at the University
of Michigan, earning a bachelor’s degree in special education, a master’s
degree in guidance and counseling, and a doctoral degree in education and
psychology. During this time, Robert Geake met Carol Lynne Rens, whom he would
marry in 1962. Prior to his service in the Legislature, Robert Geake worked as
a coordinator of child development research at the Edison Institute in
Dearborn, director of psychology at Plymouth State Home and Training School
under the Michigan Department of Mental Health, and an adjunct assistant
professor at Madonna College in Livonia, while also maintaining a private
practice in educational psychology in Northville. He was elected to the board
of trustees for Schoolcraft Community College in 1969 and later elected
chairman of the board; and
Whereas, Robert Geake began his lengthy service in the
Michigan Legislature following his election to the House of Representatives in
1972. In the House, Robert Geake served on the committees on Civil Rights, Education,
Elections, Mental Health, and Youth Care, and was named minority vice chair of
the Committee on Public Health. During his tenure in that chamber, he served
the people of the Thirty-fifth District, which included the city of Livonia,
part of the city of Northville, and surrounding areas; and
Whereas, Robert Geake won a special election to fill the
vacant Fourteenth Senate District in March 1977. He went on to be reelected for
five full terms, representing the Fourteenth District, then the Sixth District,
and finally the Ninth District, which included, at various times, the cities of
Livonia, Northville, Plymouth, and Westland and the townships of Canton,
Northville, Plymouth, and Redford. During his time in the Senate, Robert Geake served
on many committees. He was a member of the committees on Colleges and
Universities; Education; Energy; Families, Mental Health and Human Services; Health,
Social Services and Retirement; Judiciary; Labor; Public and Mental Health; School
Finance Reform; Senate Business; and Tourist Industry Relations, as well as the
Sentencing Guidelines Commission, the Legislative Council, and the Senate
Fiscal Agency Governing Board. Robert Geake was named majority vice chair of
the Committee on Family Law, Criminal Law, and Corrections (later Family Law,
Mental Health, and Corrections) and the Committee on Human Resources and Senior
Citizens, and he chaired the Committee on Senior Citizens and Social Services and
the Legislative Retirement Board; and
Whereas, In addition to his work on these varied committees
and boards, Robert Geake was an important member of the Senate Committee on
Appropriations, at times known as the Committee on Appropriations and
Retirement, rising to become majority vice chair in 1984, a position he would
hold through the end of his tenure. In his work on appropriations, Robert Geake
served as a member of the Automatic Data Processing, Higher Education, and
State Police and Military Affairs subcommittees; as majority vice chair of the
Corrections and Regulatory subcommittees; and as chair of the subcommittees on
Community Health, the Family Independence Agency, Mental Health, and Social
Services. He was additionally a member of the Joint Capital Outlay Subcommittee;
and
Whereas, Robert Geake was a leader in the Senate, both
formally, through his work as Assistant Floor Leader for the Republican Caucus,
and informally, advocating for policy changes to protect Michigan’s children.
Robert Geake co-sponsored legislation to create the Office of the Children’s
Ombudsman, today known as the Office of the Child Advocate, to oversee
children’s protective services, foster care, and adoption by investigating
complaints, holding hearings, and recommending legislation. He also led an
effort to reform the Friend of the Court System, chairing a subcommittee that
studied the issue and produced recommendations and then sponsoring legislation
to create a citizen Friend of the Court advisory committee in each county; and
Whereas, During an era when special committees were often
formed to study various issues, Robert Geake was appointed to numerous special
committees, ad hoc committees, and task forces. Topics addressed by these
groups included many important issues of the day including mental health care
and services, education, welfare reform, ethics, healthcare, aging, government
oversight, science, technology, and many more; and
Whereas, Robert Geake departed from the Senate at the
conclusion of the 1997-1998 Legislature, declining to seek reelection, but this
was not the end of his public service career. He joined the Office of the
Children’s Ombudsman, which he had helped create, as an investigator, and was
later appointed to the position of Ombudsman by Governor Engler in 2001. While
serving in this role, the Governor appointed Robert Geake to the Child Support
Leadership Council, which advised the Governor on how to improve services for
families. He was later appointed as state Racing Commissioner and reappointed
to the Legislative Retirement System Board of Trustees, which he would go on to
chair for over 20 years; and
Whereas, Robert Geake also had a rich life outside of his
career. He was a member of the National Education Association, the Northville
Rotary Club, the Livonia Elks, various historical and genealogical societies,
and the American and Michigan Psychological Associations, the latter of which
recognized him as a Fellow. He was also listed by Marquis Who's Who and given
the Recognition Award by the Foundation for Improvement of Justice in 1993. A
Presbyterian, he taught Sunday school in Northville, the city where he and his
wife settled down, bought a farm, and raised a family. In his spare time,
Robert Geake enjoyed birdwatching, researching his family’s genealogy, and hunting
for interesting facts about Michigan history using the Michigan Manual; and
Whereas, R. Robert Geake will be remembered as an intelligent,
thoughtful, and dedicated public servant, a man who brought people together and
treated everyone with kindness and respect. At the end of his service in both
the House of Representatives and the Senate, Robert Geake took the time to
reflect on the years he spent with his fellow elected representatives, thanking
them for their friendship and honoring the sacrifices they made to serve the
people of the state of Michigan. Our hearts go out to his family, including his
wife, Dr. Carol Lynne (Rens) Geake, and their four children, Roger, Tammy,
Carolyn, and Will, as they mourn his loss; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives
concurring), That we offer this expression of our highest tribute to honor the
memory of R. Robert Geake, a member of the House of Representatives from 1973
to 1977 and a member of the Senate from 1977 to 1998; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the
Geake family as evidence of our lasting esteem for his memory.