[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14763]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING JUDGE McMAKEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Alabama (Mr. Byrne) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BYRNE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember the life of my 
dear friend Judge Michael McMaken, a long-time district judge from 
Mobile County and a true servant leader.
  Judge McMaken was born in Oklahoma in 1947. The son of an Army 
officer, he grew up on various Army posts around the world. He attended 
college at Purdue University in Indiana and later received his master 
of business administration and his law degree from my alma mater, the 
law school at the University of Alabama.
  A true outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing, scuba diving, and 
almost any sport, Judge McMaken always wanted to live on Alabama's gulf 
coast. He got that chance when he moved to Mobile to serve as an 
assistant district attorney for then Mobile district attorney and now 
presiding circuit judge Charlie Graddick.
  While working in the DA's office, he taught criminal justice at the 
University of South Alabama. He eventually went on to private practice 
until being encouraged by many people, including me, to run for 
district judge in 1986. After winning his first election, Judge McMaken 
would go on to serve as a district judge in Mobile County for 25 years.
  He was instrumental in the creation of the Mobile County Drug Court, 
which helps give those struggling with drug addiction opportunities to 
beat their addiction and better themselves. That drug program became a 
model for other counties in Alabama and across the southeastern part of 
the United States.
  Outside of the courtroom, Judge McMaken was a forceful advocate for 
civic responsibility. He was a founding member and first president of 
the board of directors for the Mobile Child Advocacy Center, which 
helps children who have been preyed upon by people who would do them 
harm. He also served as a president of the board of directors of 
Goodwill, Easter Seals, and AltaPointe Health Systems. He was actively 
involved with the Boy Scouts program in Alabama and a member of the 
Governor's Drug Advisory Council.
  Judge McMaken retired from the bench in 2012 but remained very active 
in our community. In the late 1980s, around the same time he and his 
wife were expecting their first child, Judge McMaken was diagnosed with 
leukemia. He fought this dreadful disease for over 25 years, never 
relenting in his crusade for justice or his public service. He never 
let the disease beat him down. Sadly, on September 7, Judge McMaken 
finally succumbed to the disease.
  Mike is survived by his loving wife, Kathy, and two wonderful 
children, Michelle and Bren, in addition to a number of cousins and 
many, many close friends.
  Madam Speaker, I believe Mobile County Circuit Judge Ben Brooks said 
it best. He said, ``The older I get, the more I know how rare it is to 
meet someone like Mike.'' I couldn't agree more. What matters most is 
not what you take with you when you leave this world but, rather, what 
you leave behind. Judge McMaken left behind a legacy of compassion, 
justice, community service, and civic responsibility.
  The city of Mobile, Mobile County, and the entire State of Alabama 
will be forever grateful for the life and the service of Judge McMaken 
and for his remarkable career throughout our community. We extend our 
greatest condolences to his family and friends.

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