Kim Sigler

Kim Sigler
40th Governor of Michigan
In office January 1, 1947 – January 1, 1949
Lieutenant	Eugene C. Keyes
Preceded by	Harry Kelly
Succeeded by	G. Mennen Williams
Personal details
Born	Kimber Cornellus Sigler May 2, 1894 Schuyler, Nebraska
Died	November 30, 1953 (aged 59) Augusta, Michigan
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Mae L. Pierson
Alma mater	University of Michigan

Kimber Cornellus Sigler, commonly known as Kim Sigler (May 2, 1894 – November 30, 1953), was an American politician. He served as the 40th Governor of Michigan from 1947 to 1949.

Early life

Sigler was born in Schuyler, Nebraska and was educated at the University of Michigan, and later at the Detroit Law School where, in 1918, he received a law degree. Sigler established a successful legal career in various firms in Detroit, Hastings and Battle Creek, Michigan. He was also the special prosecutor in the grand jury investigation of corruption in the state legislature. He married Mae L. Pierson and they had one child together.

Politics

In 1928, Sigler was the Democratic candidate for Michigan Attorney General, yet was unsuccessful losing to Republican Wilber Marion Brucker, who was elected Governor of Michigan two years later. Sigler would later switch to the Republican Party. In 1942, he was a candidate in the Republican primary from the 8th District for a seat in the state senate. He was also a member of Rotary International.

On November 5, 1946, Sigler, nicknamed Hollywood Kim, was elected Governor of Michigan, defeating former governor Murray Van Wagoner in the general election. During his two years in office, state agencies were reorganized and the department of administration was created. In 1947, he received his Private Pilot License.

In 1948, he served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention, which re-nominated Thomas Dewey as their candidate for U.S. President to defeat President Harry S Truman, yet Dewey was again unsuccessful as he was against Franklin Roosevelt four years earlier. Dewey carried Michigan, but Sigler was unsuccessful that year, as he was defeated for re-election for governor by Democrat Soapy Williams. After running unsuccessfully for re-election, Sigler left office on January 1, 1949, and retired from political life.

Retirement and death

Nearly five years after leaving office at the age of fifty-nine, Sigler and three passengers were killed when the plane he was piloting on a foggy night, collided with a television broadcast tower (WBCK-TV) near Augusta, Michigan. He was interred at Riverside Cemetery of Hastings, Michigan.

External links

• National Governors Association
• Political Graveyard
• Aviation article references Sigler getting his pilot certificate
• Find A Grave Memorial