LANSING (AP) — Thomas Brennan, a former Michigan Supreme Court justice and founder of Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, died Sept. 29 at the age of 89.
The law school said Brennan was surrounded by family when he died in Lansing. The cause wasn’t disclosed.
“Tom Brennan was a giant in legal education,” said WMU-Cooley’s Interim President Jeffrey Martlew. “More than 20,000 WMU-Cooley graduates owe him a debt of gratitude for pursuing his vision in creating a law school focused on teaching knowledge, skills, and ethics.
Beyond that, Tom had a genuine love for people. He was a terrific mentor and a true friend, and I shall miss him.”
Lawrence Nolan, chairman of Cooley’s governing board, said “there were no limits” to Brennan’s dreams.
Born in Detroit, Brennan graduated from Detroit Catholic Central High School.
He attended the University of Detroit and earned a law degree from the University of Detroit Law School in 1952.
He failed two attempts as a candidate for the state House of Representatives, then lost a congressional race in 1955 to John Dingell, Jr. In 1953, he joined the law firm of Waldron, Brennan, Brennan, and Maher, with whom he worked until 1961, when he was elected to a seat on the Common Pleas bench.
In 1963, Brennan was appointed by Gov. George Romney to the Wayne County Circuit Court bench and, in 1964, was elected to that same position.
In 1966, Brennan sought the nomination of the Republican Party as associate justice of the Michigan Supreme Court.
He won the nomination, and the election. In 1969 and 1970, Brennan served as chief justice, the youngest justice to serve in that capacity.
While serving on the bench, Brennan received numerous requests for law school recommendations, which inspired his vision for a new, non-profit law school in Lansing.
He incorporated Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1972 and left the high court at the end of 1973 to oversee the fledgling law school.
He served as its first dean until 1978 when he again became its president, the office he held for 23 more years.
During his tenure at Cooley Law School, Brennan ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1976 and for lieutenant governor in 1982.
Brennan was Richard Headlee’s Republican running mate in the 1982 race for governor, an election that was won by a Democrat, James Blanchard.
Brennan retired from the law scool in 2002.
Brennan is survived by his wife, Polly; children Thomas, Jr. (Julie), Margaret (David) Radelet, John (Catherine), William (Lisa), Marybeth (James) Hicks, and Ellen (Peter) Campbell; 19 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
A funeral mass is scheduled Thursday, Oct. 4 at 10 a.m., St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 955 Alton, East Lansing.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. at the church and one hour prior to the service. A rosary will be prayed at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
A private interment will be at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery in Southfield.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Detroit Catholic Central High School, Thomas E. Brennan Scholarship Fund, 27225 Wixom, Novi, MI 48374, www.catholiccentral.net/page; Michigan Supreme Court Historical Society, Hall of Justice, 1st Floor, 925 W. Ottawa, Lansing, MI 48915, www.micourthistory.org; Brennan Law Library and Center for Research and Study, WM-Thomas M. Cooley Law School, 330 S. Washington, Lansing, MI 48901, www.cooley.edu/students/library; Hospice House of Mid-Michigan, 1210 W. Saginaw, Lansing, MI 48915, www.sparrow.org/hospice-house-of-mid-michigan.
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