Honorable Michael E McMaken

Mike McMaken died in Mobile Infirmary Medical Center on Sunday, September 7, 2014, after a courageous and long fought battle with leukemia. Mike was diagnosed with leukemia the same week he and Kathy learned they were (finally) pregnant with their first child, in February 1991. He was born on May 10, 1947, in Lawton, Oklahoma, where his father was an Army officer at Fort Sill. Mike grew up on Army posts around the world, including Japan; Arlington, VA; and Washington, DC, among others. He settled in Ozark, AL, where his father retired as a Colonel at Ft. Rucker. Mike finished high school in Ozark, and never truly left the South. Like his father before him, Mike attended college at Purdue University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and immediately left after graduation to tour Europe for a year on a Eurail pass. When he came back to the States, he worked for a year at the Historic Fort Hamilton Army Exchange, located in Brooklyn, New York. In 1973, he entered the University Of Alabama Graduate School Of Commerce and Business Administration and the Alabama School of Law, completing his Juris Doctor (JD) as well as his Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 1976.

Mike loved all things outdoors and sports related. He was a member of Mobile’s Red Elephant Club, whose participation consists of rabid University of Alabama football fans. He played basketball, church softball, and he particularly loved scuba diving and piloting an airplane. He also savored precious intervals in the woods where he pretended to hunt. His aim was never to take home the big kill, whether he was in pursuit of wild hogs, trophy deer or his favorite, the wild turkey. Because he felt close to God in the serenity of the forest, he would just as soon sit and contemplate, as slay the trophies.

Mike worked as an assistant District Attorney in Tuscaloosa for a year after graduation from law school. He then took a job as an assistant District Attorney in Mobile when Charlie Graddick was DA. During this time, he taught Criminal Justice at the University of South Alabama. When Mike left the DA’s office, he went into private practice until his friend and mentor Judge Nick Kearney urged him to run for District Judge in 1986. At the end of a nine month crusade, including two primary elections and a general election with two opponents, Mike won his first political campaign and became one of four Mobile County District Judges in January 1987. In the fall of 1993, in addition to all of his fixed judicial responsibilities, Mike was assigned regular Circuit Court duty as Judge of the Mobile Drug Court, one of the first of its kind and one of the more successful, in the US. He loved Drug Court incredibly, as he felt it was a calling from God; a mission for Mike to perform.

Mike had many accolades throughout his career, and would be extremely embarrassed at the reference to them. However, our tribute to Mike would not be complete without mentioning a few: he had two publications to his credit: “Implementing Child Advocacy: A Rational and Basic Blueprint,” and “Alabama Standard Guidelines for Developing Local Community Protocols for Intervention in Child Sexual Abuse.” Mike was a founding member and first President of the Board of Directors of Mobile’s Child Advocacy Center; he was President of the Board of Directors of Goodwill Easter Seals; President of the Board of Directors of AltaPointe Health Systems; Member of the Board of the Volunteer Lawyers of America; Committee Chairman of Troop 147, Boy Scouts of America; member of the Board of Directors, Junior Achievement; Chairman of Alabama’s Clean Start Program; Secretary and Treasurer of Alabama District Judges Association; Member of the Governor’s Drug Advisory Council; Lifetime Member of Mobile’s Downtown Rotary Club; 2012 recipient of the Joseph Treadwell Award for Mobile’s Drug Education Council; 2004 Volunteer of the Year for Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast; and recipient of the 2010 prestigious Edgar Award for Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast. While this does not complete his list of honors and achievements, he begs us to stop, so we will.

Mike loved his family and his church. He was a member of Ashland Place United Methodist Church for 30 years. He was usher captain the entire time, as well as teacher of Disciple Bible studies for a number of years. Mike is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Kathy; and his adoring children Michelle and Bren. He was predeceased by his parents, Col. Edward and Marjorie McMaken. He is also survived by his sister Patty Metcalf (Sam), his sisters in law Jan Love (Peter Sederberg), Angie Love (Terri Rushing), Melanie Smith (Edward); his wonderfully affectionate nieces and nephew Nicole LeMaitre (Andrew Barker), Melissa LeMaitre, Rachel Love, Per Sederberg (Laurel Feigley), Clare Smith, Isabel Smith, Caroline Smith, David Metcalf (Meredith) and Christy Metcalf; his mother in law Jean Love, and his father in law Rev. James N. Love. He is also survived by a host of friends who loved him like a brother. Visitation will be held Wednesday September 10, 2014 at Pine Crest Funeral Home on Dauphin Island Parkway from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Funeral services will be on Thursday, September 11, 2014 at 10:00 at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church. Interment will be in Pine Crest Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Goodwill Easter Seals, 2448 Gordon Smith, Mobile, Alabama 36617.

Arrangements under the direction of Pine Crest Funeral Home, MOBILE, AL.