Wayne State University Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus Robert A. Sedler passed away on Saturday, January 4, at the age of 89.
Sedler was born on September 11, 1935, to Esther and Jerry Sedler in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, where he was president of the Student Government Association and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1959, where he was on the law review and a member of the Order of the Coif.
Sedler met his wife Rozanne at the University of Pittsburgh in 1958, and thus began a partnership and love affair that lasted 65 years. After Sedler received his law degree, he was determined to become a law professor.
In 1963, under the auspices of the Ford Foundation, Sedler and Rozanne moved to Ethiopia, where Sedler worked to establish the first law school in the country. They stayed in Ethiopia for three years.
In 1966, Sedler and Rozanne moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where Sedler was on the faculty of the University of Kentucky Law School for nine years. It was there that their two children—Eric and Beth—were born.
In 1977, Sedler joined the faculty of Wayne State Law School, where he taught Constitutional Law and Conflicts of Law for 44 years. He retired in 2020 at the age of 85 as a distinguished professor of law. In October 2024, Sedler was selected to be honored on the Wayne State Law School Wall of Fame.
Sedler published numerous articles, books, and law review papers during his tenure as a law professor.
The Robert Allen Sedler Scholarship was established to be awarded to a student with a particular interest in Constitutional Law.
Sedler believed that the purpose of the law was to help people. Therefore, he also wanted to argue cases on constitutional issues. Over the course of his 60-year legal career, he argued many cases, including two before the United States Supreme Court in 1970 and 1974, prevailing in both.
Sedler and Rozanne joined Temple Emanuel the year they arrived in Detroit. Sedler was active in the temple, serving on its board and on the Social Action Commission of Reform Judaism. While on the board, Sedler drafted a constitution for the temple and served six years on the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism.
Sedler is survived by his wife Rozanne Sedler; children Eric (Marla) Sedler and Beth (Thomas) Foster; grandchildren Braden Sedler, Chloe Sedler, Brielle Foster, and Jayce Foster; and many other loving family members and friends.
A funeral service took place Tuesday, January 7, at The Dorfman Chapel in Farmington Hills.
The Sedler family has requested that memorial gifts be made to the Professor Robert Sedler endowed scholarship fund. Gifts can be made online at https://bit.ly/4fWgZxm or by check mailed to:
Wayne State University
Gift Processing
5700 Cass Ave, Ste 1200
Detroit, MI 48202
Sedler was born on September 11, 1935, to Esther and Jerry Sedler in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, where he was president of the Student Government Association and elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1959, where he was on the law review and a member of the Order of the Coif.
Sedler met his wife Rozanne at the University of Pittsburgh in 1958, and thus began a partnership and love affair that lasted 65 years. After Sedler received his law degree, he was determined to become a law professor.
In 1963, under the auspices of the Ford Foundation, Sedler and Rozanne moved to Ethiopia, where Sedler worked to establish the first law school in the country. They stayed in Ethiopia for three years.
In 1966, Sedler and Rozanne moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where Sedler was on the faculty of the University of Kentucky Law School for nine years. It was there that their two children—Eric and Beth—were born.
In 1977, Sedler joined the faculty of Wayne State Law School, where he taught Constitutional Law and Conflicts of Law for 44 years. He retired in 2020 at the age of 85 as a distinguished professor of law. In October 2024, Sedler was selected to be honored on the Wayne State Law School Wall of Fame.
Sedler published numerous articles, books, and law review papers during his tenure as a law professor.
The Robert Allen Sedler Scholarship was established to be awarded to a student with a particular interest in Constitutional Law.
Sedler believed that the purpose of the law was to help people. Therefore, he also wanted to argue cases on constitutional issues. Over the course of his 60-year legal career, he argued many cases, including two before the United States Supreme Court in 1970 and 1974, prevailing in both.
Sedler and Rozanne joined Temple Emanuel the year they arrived in Detroit. Sedler was active in the temple, serving on its board and on the Social Action Commission of Reform Judaism. While on the board, Sedler drafted a constitution for the temple and served six years on the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism.
Sedler is survived by his wife Rozanne Sedler; children Eric (Marla) Sedler and Beth (Thomas) Foster; grandchildren Braden Sedler, Chloe Sedler, Brielle Foster, and Jayce Foster; and many other loving family members and friends.
A funeral service took place Tuesday, January 7, at The Dorfman Chapel in Farmington Hills.
The Sedler family has requested that memorial gifts be made to the Professor Robert Sedler endowed scholarship fund. Gifts can be made online at https://bit.ly/4fWgZxm or by check mailed to:
Wayne State University
Gift Processing
5700 Cass Ave, Ste 1200
Detroit, MI 48202
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