2026 Senate Concurrent Resolution 13

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.