William Grawn Milliken was born on March 26, 1922, and passed away on October 18, 2019. He was an American businessman and politician who served as the 44th governor of Michigan from 1969 to 1983. A member of the Republican Party, he became governor after George Romney resigned. Milliken won three additional elections in 1970, 1974, and 1978, making him the longest-serving governor in Michigan's history. During his time in office, he managed major changes in the state's economy caused by shifts in industry and challenges faced by the auto industry, which led to job and population losses in Detroit, the largest city in Michigan. He also handled the PBB crisis and supported policies to protect the environment and conserve natural resources.

Early life

Milliken was born in Traverse City, Michigan, as the second child in a family that worked in public service. His father, James T. Milliken, was mayor of Traverse City and a Michigan state senator for the 27th District from 1941 to 1950. His mother, Hildegarde (née Grawn), served on the Traverse City School Board and was the first woman elected to public office in the city. Milliken’s paternal grandfather, James W. Milliken, previously served one term as a Michigan state senator for the 27th District from 1898 to 1900.

After graduating from Traverse City Senior High School with high honors, Milliken attended Yale University, where he met his future wife, Helen Wallbank. In 1942, he paused his studies to join the Army Reserve Corps and later volunteered for the Army Air Corps in early 1943. During World War II, he flew 50 combat missions as a soldier who shot at enemies from the middle of a plane on B-24 bombers and survived two crash landings. He received seven military honors, including the Purple Heart and Air Medal.

On October 20, 1945, one month after his honorable discharge from the military, Milliken married Helen. The couple had two children: a daughter, Elaine, who was a lawyer and feminist and died of cancer in 1993; and a son, William, Jr. The following spring, Milliken graduated from Yale.

William and Helen Milliken returned to Traverse City that year. He became president of J.W. Milliken, Inc., a department store started by his grandfather and later managed by his father. At its peak, the company had stores in Traverse City, Cadillac, Manistee, and Mount Pleasant. It was sold to Stage Stores in 1996 and later operated as Stage–Milliken before closing down in 2001. Helen Milliken died at the age of 89 on November 16, 2012, at their home in Traverse City from ovarian cancer.

Political career

In 1947, Governor Kim Sigler appointed Milliken to the Michigan Waterways Commission. In 1960, Milliken was elected as a state senator from the 27th District and served from 1961 to 1964. He was elected and served as the 54th lieutenant governor of Michigan from 1965 to 1969. He became governor after George W. Romney resigned to join President Richard Nixon’s cabinet. Milliken was later elected to full four-year terms in 1970, 1974, and 1978. He was considered a moderate Rockefeller Republican. In June 1982, Milliken helped create the Council of Great Lakes Governors.

As governor for 14 years, Milliken is the longest-serving person in that role in Michigan’s history. Since 1992, governors have been limited to two terms in office, so it is unlikely anyone will serve longer than Milliken. John Engler served as governor for 12 years, from 1991 to 2003, making him the second Republican after Milliken to serve three four-year terms.

In December 1982, Milliken appointed Dorothy Comstock Riley to the Michigan Supreme Court to fill the vacancy caused by Blair Moody, Jr.’s death. Riley had run for the Supreme Court in the 1982 general election but lost. Milliken was leaving office in less than a month, and the newly elected Democratic governor, James Blanchard, argued that Milliken should not have made the appointment. In 1983, the other Supreme Court justices voted 4–2 to remove Riley from the court, and Blanchard appointed someone else. Riley was later elected to the court in 1985.

Later life

After leaving his job in government, Milliken returned to Traverse City. He became a member of the board of directors for the Chrysler Corporation and led the Center for the Great Lakes, a research group focused on protecting the Great Lakes. He gave a speech at the funeral of former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young in 1997, who was the first African American elected as mayor of that city.

In presidential elections since 2004, Milliken supported candidates from both major political parties. In 2004, he supported Democratic senator John Kerry in his attempt to replace George W. Bush, saying, "The truth is that President George W. Bush does not speak for me or for many other moderate Republicans on a very broad cross section of issues." In 2008, he supported Republican John McCain but changed his mind in October after McCain's campaign criticized Democratic candidate Barack Obama. He told The Grand Rapids Press, "He is not the John McCain I endorsed." Milliken expressed concern about the Republican Party becoming more rigid, saying, "I think Gerald Ford would hold generally the same view I'm holding on the direction of the Republican Party." In August 2016, Milliken announced he would vote for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, stating that Donald Trump does not represent Republican values.

In Michigan elections, Milliken supported candidates from both parties. In 2010, he supported businessman Rick Snyder in the Republican primary and continued to support him in the general election. In 2014, he supported Snyder for a second term. In the 2014 Senate election, he supported Democrat Gary Peters instead of Republican candidate Terri Lynn Land.

In 2015, Milliken signed a legal document supporting same-sex marriage.

Death

On October 18, 2019, Milliken passed away at his home in Traverse City after many years of health problems. His remains were cremated and placed in a burial site on Mackinac Island, next to his wife, Helen, and daughter, Elaine. On August 6, 2020, a memorial service was held in his honor at the Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Honors

• In 1976, Governor Milliken received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Yale University, the same school he attended.
• In 2006, Dave Dempsey wrote a book about Milliken called William G. Milliken: Michigan's Passionate Moderate.
• In fall 2009, the state of Michigan created a new state park named William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor. The park is located on the riverfront in Detroit and was named to honor the former governor.
• Rooms 290, 291, and 292 at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island are together called the Milliken Suite. These rooms are on the second floor at the east end and have a view of the golf course.