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Educator and State
Rep Jerry Kratz Dies of Heart Attack
from Gongwer News
Service, January 29, 2003
For more articles visit
www.bridges4kids.org.
Rep. Jerry Kratz (R-Grass Lake), whose election in November
added a new chapter to a career spent in public education,
died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack. He was 69.
House Speaker Rick Johnson (R-LeRoy), who was notified early
Wednesday of the death of Mr. Kratz, said it was one of the
hardest calls he has had to take outside of hearing of the
death of his father.
"I got to know Jerry and some of his beliefs, some of his
ideals and some of the things he wanted to do," Mr. Johnson
said. "While his work in the Legislature had just begun, his
career as a public servant was a life-long commitment. As a
school superintendent and as an educator of Michigan school
kids, his service to our state and its families will not be
forgotten."
Mr. Kratz was working out on his treadmill at home when he was
apparently stricken, aides in his Lansing office said. He was
taken to a local hospital, but attempts to revive him failed.
Mr. Kratz was superintendent of the Novi Community School
district in 1972-80, superintendent of the Jackson County
Intermediate School District from 1980 until he retired in
June 2001 and had served as an adjunct professor at Eastern
Michigan University since 1973. He also worked for Education
Associates, a company that screens municipal and school
district candidates for administrative positions, and was a
real estate agent.
Mr. Kratz was the prime sponsor of the first six bills
introduced in the House this session. Included were bills to
reduce class sizes in grades K-3, providing for reimbursement
to schools when a student transfers after the count day, and
reducing the blood alcohol standard for drunken driving to .08
percent from .10 percent.
Mr. Kratz was part of this year's 54-member freshman class in
the House and a newly-appointed member of the Appropriations
Committee where he was named chair of the Community Colleges
subcommittee and to serve on the Capital Outlay and
Corrections subcommittees.
Born August 8, 1933, in Detroit, Mr. Kratz graduated from
Wayne State University in 1955 with bachelors' degrees in
social studies and art, and holds a master's degree in
education and a doctorate of education in curriculum
development from Columbia University.
Although serving in his first elective office, his political
pedigree includes membership in the so-called kitchen cabinet
for former Rep. Clyde LeTarte.
Sen. Nancy Cassis (R-Novi) said she was looking forward to
renewing a friendship with Mr. Kratz, who had hired her in
1980 as a school psychologist for the Novi Schools. She spoke
about having seen him at the Republican State Convention and
earlier Tuesday evening at a function, "doing what he so
loved, serving people."
And Sen. Bev Hammerstrom (R-Temperance) said Mr. Kratz was a
man who "really liked people" and as an educator his passion
was children.
State Republican Party Chair Betsy DeVos said, "Representative
Kratz had a promising future in the Michigan House, and his
service will be missed."
He is the first member of the Legislature to die in office
since Rep. Janet Kukuk (R-Macomb Township) died in November
2000 just weeks after being re-elected.
His death reduces the Republican House majority to 62-47 over
Democrats.
Governor Jennifer Granholm does not yet have a timetable to
call a special election, a spokesperson said.
He is survived by his wife Eleanor and children Kevin, Kurt,
Kim and Kent.
Visitation will be at the Desnoyer Funeral Home, 204 North
Blackstone in Jackson at 3-8 p.m. Friday (earlier plans for
visitation on Thursday were dropped). The funeral mass will be
at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Rita's, 10720 Hayes Road Brooklyn.
The family is requesting that in lieu of flowers, donations be
made to the Jerry Kratz Scholarship Fund at Jackson Community
College or the Jackson Chapter of the American Red Cross.
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