Casperson

LANSING — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags within the State Capitol Complex to be lowered to half-staff today to honor the life and service of former state Sen. Tom Casperson, who passed away on Sunday after battling lung cancer.

“Tom Casperson was an unwavering public servant, who made sure Yoopers always felt like their voices were being heard in our state Capitol at every point during the legislative process,” Whitmer said in the announcement. “While our politics varied, Tom proved that it was still possible to find common ground and work together to do right by the people of Michigan.

“As Senate Democratic leader, I was proud to work across the aisle with state Sen. Casperson to expand health care coverage through the Healthy Michigan plan, which now ensures coverage for more than 800,000 Michiganders across our state. Despite his diagnosis, Tom remained committed to doing the people’s work as he battled this vicious disease. My thoughts are with Tom’s family during this difficult time.”

Casperson was first elected to the Michigan Legislature in 2002, where he served residents of the central Upper Peninsula in the state House of Representatives and then the state Senate until he was term limited in 2018.

While in the Legislature, Casperson cast a crucial vote to expand the state’s Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act to ensure health care for hundreds of thousands of Michiganders, officials said in the release.

The state of Michigan “recognizes the duty, honor and selfless service of former state Sen. Tom Casperson by lowering flags to half-staff,” an announcement from the governor’s office states. “Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments and other organizations 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 on Thursday, officials said.