LANSING, MI - Governor Gretchen Whitmer has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags within the State Capitol Complex to be lowered to half-staff on December 12 to honor and remember former U.S. Representative Bob Carr, who passed away in August. 

“Representative Bob Carr was a dedicated public servant who delivered for his constituents and moved Michigan forward,” said Governor Whitmer. “Bob worked hard to make a real difference in people’s lives and fought passionately for what he believed in. He was a powerful advocate for civil rights and, later, cancer research. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and all those who served and worked alongside him.”  

After earning his B.S. and J.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Carr moved to Lansing where he served on the staff of the Senate minority leader. He later became an administrative assistant to then-Attorney General Frank Kelley and then an assistant attorney general. He went on to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974. While the district Carr represented changed throughout his time in Congress, he represented parts of Ingham, Livingston, and Genesee counties.

Elected to Congress during the Vietnam War, Carr was a strong advocate for peace in U.S. foreign policy. Beyond the 1970s, Carr remained a staunch supporter of his constituents, working to address kitchen-table issues that mattered to Michiganders and championing civil rights in Michigan and beyond. 

Even after his time in Congress, Carr remained committed to public service, working to educate future policymakers and advocates. He co-led the Brookings Institute’s Legis Congressional Fellowship where he mentored fellows, inspiring them to lead a life of public service and make a real difference in people’s lives. After being diagnosed with stage 3 multiple myeloma in 2006, Carr championed research into the disease.

Bob is survived by his daughter, stepdaughter, stepson, and many other loving family members and good friends.  

The State of Michigan recognizes the duty, honor, and service of former U.S. Representative Bob Carr by lowering flags to half-staff within the State Capitol Complex. Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments, and other organizations also are encouraged to display the flag at half-staff.

To lower flags to half-staff, flags should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The process is reversed before the flag is lowered for the day.

Flags should be returned to full staff within the State Capitol Complex on December 13, 2024.