Mike Levin: “Tomorrow, Thursday, April 26, the funeral services will be held in Detroit for Richard H. Austin, who served six terms…”

“Tomorrow, Thursday, April 26, the funeral services will be held in Detroit for Richard H. Austin, who served six terms as Secretary of State of Michigan. As the longest serving Secretary of State in Michigan's history, Dick Austin set the highest standard of service to the public. Whether it was highway safety or citizen participation in the electoral process, he was always ahead of his time. It was my privilege to be a teammate with Dick Austin as I ran for Governor and he began his first quest for statewide office, breaking down barriers confronting candidates for elective office in Michigan. He became the longest-serving black elected State official in the history of Michigan, as he was Michigan's first black CPA and the first black candidate for mayor. I had the joy many times of campaigning with him, hearing him in his quiet way spelling out his aspirations, and watching the magic worked by his warm smile and his friendly handshake. That smile is now gone, but the memories of it will always linger. His friendliness is now a legacy not to be forgotten. Dick Austin never let down the public trust, and the citizens of Michigan responded time after time. He was an intrinsic part of the web of public service in Michigan for many decades. He made Michigan a better place, and he will be missed by many of us as a warm friend and by all of us as an invaluable public servant. Mr. Speaker, we here today join together to mourn the passing of Richard H. Austin.”