Former Senator Harry Gast Dies

St. Joseph Republican and former State Senator, Harry Gast, died Thursday at the age of 94. Mr. Gast served the public for 57 years including 32 years in the Legislature, which ended in December of 2002. He left office with the goal of visiting family and farming.

Mr. Gast served the people for many years, including 32 in the local government. He held various positions during this time, including: school board member, County Board of Health Member, County Board of Public Works member, as well as township treasurer and township supervisor. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1970, and won reelection three times.

His career in the Senate began in 1978, when the Democratic Party controlled the chamber. During his tenure as Appropriations Chair, Mr. Gast was not afraid to butt heads with then Senate Majority Leader John Engler, telling him that the committee was his to run and refusing Mr. Engler’s attempts to control the committee. While there was much concern over whether Mr. Gast, 78 at the time, would run for his final term in the Senate in 1998, he decided to run and after winning his election oversaw the budget cuts of the early 2000’s during which he regularly disagreed with the way the budgets were being approached, going so far as to refuse to vote on their passage.

He continued to stay in tune with state politics after his retirement and was always willing to give advice to legislators should they come asking for it. Mr. Gast’s visitation will be from 2-4p.m. on Sunday at the Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph. His funeral is at 1 p.m. Monday at the same location and will be followed by his burial at Riverview Cemetery in St. Joseph.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, July 31, 2015 11:19 AM
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