In Memoriam: Donald L. Reisig, 54th SBM President

The State Bar of Michigan mourns the loss of its 54th president, Donald L. Reisig, who died Oct. 21 at the age of 81.

A 1958 graduate of the University of Michigan Law School, Reisig was elected president of the State Bar of Michigan from 1988-1989. He had a long and distinguished legal career in the Lansing area. He started as an assistant prosecuting attorney in Ingham County, then became Ingham County chief assistant prosecuting attorney, Lansing City attorney, Ingham County prosecuting attorney, and a 30th Circuit Court judge. He was commonly referred to as the "boy wonder" of Ingham County politics. He also served as a visiting professor and lecturer at the Michigan State University School of Criminal Justice and Thomas M. Cooley Law School.

In 1976, Reisig entered private practice with the firm Sinas, Dramis, Brake, Boughton, McIntyre and Reisig. In 1989, Governor James Blanchard asked him to serve as Michigan director of Drug Agencies. In 1995, at the request of the American Bar Association, he served as legal liaison to the former Soviet countries Ukraine and Georgia to assist them in converting their legal systems as independent states. In 1996, he was named director of Legal Affairs for the Central Michigan Legal Services Agency, helping indigent people obtain legal services. And finally, he served as administrator of the 30th Circuit Court's Juvenile Division, until he retired in 2007.

Reisig is survived by his wife, Carol Ann Keyes Reisig; three children, Chris Ward Reisig (Rory) of Williamston, Deborah Engstrom (Mark) of Okemos, and Charles Reisig of Tuscon, Ariz.; four grandchildren, Daniel Viaches (Laura) of Indianapolis, Ind., Matthew Viaches (Lisa) of Carmel, Ind., Kristi Viaches of New York City, and Dalton Reisig of Tucson, Ariz.; stepchildren Gretchen Whitmer of East Lansing, Elizabeth Geraghty of New York, Richard Whitmer Jr. of Lansing, Kristin M. Pierce of Mason, and Kimberly M. Patterson (Joseph Titlebaum) of Port Aransas, Texas; and step-granddaughter, Lauren Pierce. Also surviving are three great-grandchildren, James, Adam, and Ava.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26 at Estes Leadley Funeral Home's Greater Lansing Chapel, located at 325 W. Washtenaw St. in Lansing. His family will receive friends starting at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Eaton Community Palliative Care or the National Parkinson Foundation.