Emil Lockwood (September 23, 1919 – August 2, 2002) was an American businessman and politician who represented Gratiot County in the Michigan Senate from 1963 to 1970, serving as the Senate Minority Leader from 1965 to 1966 and Senate Majority Leader from 1967 to 1970. As a young man, Lockwood served in the Pacific Theater in World War II, aboard a Landing Ship Tank.[1][2][3]

Emil Lockwood
Majority Leader of the Michigan Senate
In office
1967–1970
Preceded byRaymond D. Dzendzel
Succeeded byRobert VanderLaan
Member of the Michigan Senate
from the 30th district
In office
January 1, 1963 – December 31, 1970
Preceded byJohn Stahlin
Succeeded byBill Ballenger
Personal details
Born(1919-09-23)September 23, 1919
Ottawa, Illinois, U.S.
DiedAugust 2, 2002(2002-08-02) (aged 82)
Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationKemper Military School (AA)
University of Michigan (BA, MBA)
Military service
Branch/service United States Navy
Battles/warsWorld War II

Early life and education

edit

Lockwood was born in Ottawa, Illinois, and was a descendant of Franz Karl Achard on his mother's side.[4] His namesake, Emil Achard, founded Saginaw Plate Glass Company in Saginaw, Michigan, where his family eventually moved. Lockwood earned an associate's degree from Kemper Military School in Boonville, Missouri, followed by a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He served with distinction aboard an LST in the Pacific Theater of World War II.[5]

Career

edit

After leaving the United States Navy, Lockwood taught amphibious warfare at Westminster College and accounting at Albion College. He then left academics and established a private accounting practice.[6]

Lockwood began his career as a member of the Alma, Michigan Board of Education. He later served as a member of the Gratiot County, Michigan Board of Supervisors and was the president of the St. Louis, Michigan Rotary Club. Lockwood worked as a campaign manager for Detroit mayor Albert Cobo and Congressman R. James Harvey.

In 1963, Lockwood was elected to the Michigan Senate, representing Gratiot County, Clinton County, Shiawassee County, and portions of Montcalm County and Eaton County. He was re-elected in 1965 and selected to serve as Senate Minority Leader by members of the Michigan Senate Republican Caucus. He was re-elected again in 1967 and selected to serve as Senate Majority Leader after Republicans won the majority of senate seats.

Lockwood left the Michigan Senate in 1970 to launch an unsuccessful bid for Michigan Secretary of State. With F.J. Coomes in 1971, he co-founded Public Affairs Associates, the state's first multi-client bipartisan lobbying firm. Lockwood was later appointed chief lobbyist and deputy director of the Michigan Department of Commerce under Governor William Milliken.[6][7]

Personal life

edit

In his later life, Lockwood retired to Duck Key, Florida. He died in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2002.[8]

See also

edit

Bibliography

edit
  • Man in Motion: Michigan's Legendary Senate Majority Leader, Emil Lockwood, by Stanley C. Fedewa and Marilyn H. Fedewa, Llumina, 2003, distributed by Michigan State University Press.
  • The Political Graveyard by Lawrence Kestenbaum.

References

edit
  1. ^ [1][permanent dead link]Michigan Political History Society Newsletter, Vol. 8, No. 3
  2. ^ Fedewa, Stanley C. MAN IN MOTION: Michigan's Legendary Senate Majority Leader, Emil Lockwood, (Llumina, 2003)
  3. ^ Weeks, George. "Book honors Michigan senate leader," The Detroit News, July 29, 2003
  4. ^ Fedewa, Stanley C. MAN IN MOTION: Michigan's Legendary Senate Majority Leader, Emil Lockwood, (Llumina, 2003), 10-11.
  5. ^ Fedewa, Stanley C. MAN IN MOTION: Michigan's Legendary Senate Majority Leader, Emil Lockwood, (Llumina, 2003), 15, 26, 37.
  6. ^ a b Sun, Baltimore. "Emil Lockwood, 82, a former majority leader..." baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  7. ^ "Lockwood Gets Agency Job | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
  8. ^ "Ottawa Daily Times article on Emil Lockwood biography and book's authors". www.cambridgeconnections.net. Retrieved 2020-12-23.
Party political offices
Preceded by
George Washington
Republican nominee for Michigan Secretary of State
1970
Succeeded by
N. Lorraine Beebe