William Faust (March 29, 1929 – January 21, 1995) was a Democratic member of the

Michigan Senate The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, ado ...

from 1967 through 1994, and was majority leader from 1976 to 1984.

Early life

A native of Ohio, Faust attended

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a system of public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. Campuses Indiana University has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration of IUPUI. *Indiana Universit ...

and earned a bachelor's degree from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in 1952. He undertook graduate work at

Eastern Michigan University Eastern Michigan University (EMU, Eastern Michigan or simply Eastern), is a public research university in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School, the school was the fourth normal school established in the United Sta ...

. Faust was a publisher and managing editor of several news publications before being elected a township trustee in 1960 and later supervisor in 1963 of Nankin Township.

Senate career

In 1966, Faust won his first election to the Senate from a hospital bed as he was recovering from injuries sustained in a

hit-and-run In traffic laws, a hit and run or a hit-and-run is the act of causing a traffic collision and not stopping afterwards. It is considered a supplemental crime in most jurisdictions. Additional obligation In many jurisdictions, there may be an ...

accident which eventually left him in a wheelchair. Ten years later, he was elected majority leader. In 1984, a series of by-elections cost the Democrats their majority in the Senate, and Faust continued as Democratic minority leader until he resigned his leadership position in April 1985. Until 2023, Faust was the last person to have been a Democratic majority leader in the Michigan Senate. While in the Senate, Faust was known for his efforts to build up state libraries and played a key role in the restoration of the

Michigan State Capitol The Michigan State Capitol is the building that houses the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in the portion of the state capital of Lansing which lies in Ingham County. The present structure, at the interse ...

, including saving some glass panes from the ceiling of the Senate chamber. In total, Faust served seven terms in the Senate, retiring in 1994.

Later life

Less than a month after leaving the Senate, and after coronary bypass surgery and having his gall bladder removed, Faust died on January 21, 1995, aged 65.Gongwer News Service
The Sad Story Of The Best Legislative Farewell Speech Ever
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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Faust, William Democratic Party Michigan state senators 1929 births 1995 deaths University of Michigan alumni People from Bucyrus, Ohio 20th-century American politicians