Frank Dwight Fitzgerald lived from January 27, 1885, to March 16, 1939. He was an American politician who served as the 34th and 36th governor of Michigan. He is the only Michigan governor who died while still in office.

Early life

Fitzgerald was born on January 27, 1885, in Grand Ledge, Michigan, to John Wesley Fitzgerald, a politician. He married Queena M. Warner on June 28, 1909, and they had one child, John W. Fitzgerald, who later became a Michigan State Senator and a judge on the Michigan Supreme Court. John W. Fitzgerald also served as chief justice of the court in 1982. Fitzgerald was the grandfather of Frank M. Fitzgerald, who served as a member of the Michigan House from the 56th District from 1987 to 1992 and the 71st District from 1993 to 1996. He was also the great-grandfather of John Fitzgerald, a Democratic State Representative from the 83rd District in Wyoming. Fitzgerald attended Grand Ledge High School and later studied at the Ferris Institute, which is now called Ferris State University in Big Rapids.

Politics

Fitzgerald began his political career in 1913 by working as a clerk in the State House and later as a clerk in the State Senate, a role he held for six years. From 1919 to 1923, he worked as the deputy secretary of state.

In 1924, Fitzgerald was a delegate from Michigan to the Republican National Convention, where the current president, Calvin Coolidge, was nominated for president. He was a member of the Michigan Republican State Central Committee from 1925 to 1926 and served as secretary of the Michigan Republican Party from 1929 to 1930. In 1931, he was elected as the Secretary of State of Michigan. He also attended the 1932 Republican National Convention, where the current president, Herbert Hoover, was nominated for re-election. Hoover lost the 1932 general election to Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In 1934, Fitzgerald left his position to run for governor of Michigan. He won the election, defeating Democrat Arthur J. Lacy, and served a full two-year term. During his time as governor, the state budget was balanced, and efforts were made to combine state agencies. He was a delegate to the 1936 Republican National Convention, where Alf Landon was nominated for president. Landon lost the 1936 general election to Roosevelt. Later that year, Fitzgerald lost his re-election bid to Democrat Frank Murphy.

Fitzgerald’s son, John Warner Fitzgerald, was a member of the Michigan State Senate and later served as a justice on the Michigan Supreme Court. Fitzgerald’s grandson, Frank M. Fitzgerald, was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives from 1986 to 1998. Fitzgerald’s great-grandson, John W. Fitzgerald, is currently a Democratic State Representative for the 83rd Michigan House District, which includes parts of the cities of Grand Rapids and Wyoming.

Non-consecutive election and death

In 1938, Fitzgerald defeated Murphy and became one of only two people, along with John S. Barry, to serve non-consecutive terms as Governor of Michigan. After battling the flu, he suffered a heart attack and died in office on March 16, 1939, in Grand Ledge, Michigan, at the age of 54. Fitzgerald was the only Michigan governor to die while in office. He was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor Luren Dickinson. He was also one of only four governors to lie in state in the Capitol Building.

Fitzgerald was a member of several organizations, including the Freemasons, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Shriners, Knights of Pythias, Knights of the Maccabees, and Odd Fellows. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Grand Ledge, Michigan. In the city of Warren, Fitzgerald High School on Ryan Road was named in his honor.