The Hon. John Feikens, of Grosse Pointe, died May 15, at the age of 93.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church. Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Verheyden Funeral Home. A visitation is planned for Tuesday and Wednesday.
From the United States District Court, Eastern District of Michigan:
Judge Feikens was born on December 3, 1917. He was predeceased by his wife, Henriette in 2007, and leaves five children: Jon Feikens (Beth), Susan Sevensma (Norm), Barbara Reinsma (Luke), Julie VanderHaagen (Ric), and Robert Feikens (Beverly). He had many grandchildren and great grandchildren.Judge Feikens received an interim appointment as United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan in October 1960. His interim appointment expired on
September 27, 1961, and he returned to private practice at that time. He received a permanent appointment on December 1970. He served as Chief Judge from October 4, 1979 until March 1, 1986, at which time he took senior status. He is best known as the judge overseeing the Detroit Water & Sewer Department case, recognized as one of the key stabilizing forces in the case over the past 33 years.Judge Feikens is a graduate of Calvin College, having received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1938, and received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan in 1941. He also received Honorary Doctor of Law degrees from the University of Detroit in 1979 and the Detroit College of Law in 1981.
Judge Feikens served as co-chairman of the Michigan Civil Rights Commission from its inception in 1963 until 1966. He was a member of the Judicial Conference Committee on the Operation of the Jury System from 1977 until 1985. He also was a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the American Bar Association, a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a member and former commissioner of the State Bar of Michigan, a member and past president of the Detroit Bar Association, and a trustee of the Detroit Bar Association Foundation.
He was an avid University of Michigan fan.
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