Stephen Bransdorfer

Stephen Christie Bransdorfer, age 77, of Ada, died Thursday, March 15 at Spectrum - Blodgett Hospital following a short illness. He is survived by his wife of nearly 55 years, Peggy, and his four children, Mark and Elizabeth Bransdorfer of Ada, David Bransdorfer of Washington, D.C. and his former wife, Carmen Bransdorfer of Grand Rapids, Amy and Bruce Jaffe of Ellicott City, MD, and Jill and Lu'ay Bakir of Burlington, VT; nine grandchildren, Samantha and Henry Bransdorfer; Will, Elizabeth and Gemma Bransdorfer; Alyssa, Nathan and Joseph Jaffe and Omar Bakir; his honorary daughter, Sylvie Desman of Paris, France; his brother and sister - in - law, Arnold and Lois Bransdorfer of St. Louis, MI; his brother - in - law and sister - in - law, Jack and Suzanne Deisig of Saginaw, and his sister - in - law, Jean Kenel of Saginaw; and 17 nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother and sister - in - law, Alfred and Mary Bransdorfer and their son, of Clare. Steve graduated from Lansing Sexton High School, Michigan State University, the University of Michigan Law School and received an LLM from Georgetown University. He served in the U.S. Army for two years as a lieutenant during the Korean War. Following law school he worked for the U.S. Department of Justice and was the government spokesman for school integration in Little Rock, AR. He was a lawyer at Miller, Johnson, Snell and Cummiskey for 30 years before returning to the U.S. Department of Justice as a Deputy Attorney General. He then returned to Grand Rapids and practiced with his sons in Bransdorfer and Bransdorfer, P.C. Steve retired in 2003 after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma for the third time. He was president of the State Bar of Michigan, and ran for Attorney General of Michigan. He was a founding member and president of the Grand Rapids Chapter of the American Inns of Court Board. He was appointed to the Michigan Civil Service Commission by Governor William Milliken and served as chairman, and the State Board of Canvassers, appointed by Governor James Blanchard and served as chairman. He was a member of the Grand Rapids Bar Association, the State Bar of Michigan, the District of Columbia Bar Association, the American Bar Association and the Federal Bar Association. Steve was active in many local organizations including Hospice of Grand Rapids, where he served as president. He was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Rotary Club of Grand Rapids and Cascade Hills Country Club. A memorial service, officiated by the Rev. Donald Gordon and the Rev. Ann Weirich, will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 47 Jefferson, S.E., Grand Rapids, on Friday, March 23 at 11:00 a.m. with a luncheon following. His cremated remains will be intered next to his loving parents - in - law, Melvin and Leona Deisig, in a private ceremony at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Saginaw, Michigan. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Frederik Meijer Gardens. The family is being served by