Casperson

MARQUETTE — Upper Michigan residents joined state and local officials on social media Sunday evening to mourn the death of former state Sen. Tom Casperson, who passed away at age 61.

“Tom fought the good fight for all of us in the U.P.” Sen. Ed McBroom, R-Waucedah Township, said in a statement on Facebook. “He desperately wanted us to live free but still connected as a community. Always humble, he never became pompous or vain, even stooping to work for me after terming out in the Senate.”

Condolences continued to pour in from Republican and Democratic colleagues alike for Casperson, who served for six years representing the 108th District in the Michigan House of Representatives followed by two terms representing the 38th District in the Michigan Senate beginning in 2010.

Casperson announced a diagnosis of stage four lung cancer in 2018.

Ishpeming City Councilor Jason Chapman, who is the former chair of the Marquette County Democratic Party remarked in a text message on Sunday that Casperson fought the disease “with dignity.”

“We may have seen the political sphere differently,” Chapman said, “but he was a good and honest man.”

Born and raised in Escanaba, Casperson told the Iron Mountain Daily News in January of 2019 that one of his proudest accomplishments while serving in the state house was sponsoring a bill that put parameters on underground mining and cleared the way for the Eagle Mine to begin operations.

“That allowed for mining operations to start moving forward,” Casperson said in the Daily News article. “(And) 430 people have jobs now because of it.”

Casperson’s death was reported Sunday evening.

Casperson’s family was expected to release a statement after the press time for today’s edition of the Journal.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.