Michael Martin Uhlmann

Michael Martin Uhlmann, a beloved professor, father, grandfather, brother and uncle, passed away after a brief illness on Oct. 8, 2019.
Born Dec. 29, 1939 in Washington, D.C. to Martin and Helen Uhlmann, he attended St. Johns College in D.C. before graduating from the Hill School in 1958. Michael received a BA in history from Yale, an LLB from the University of Virginia Law School, and a PhD in government from Claremont Graduate University.
Michael was a professor in the Division of Politics & Economics at Claremont Graduate University since 2002. Prior to joining the Claremont faculty, Michael was with the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation in Milwaukee, the Ethics and Public Policy Center in D.C., and a partner in the law firm of Pepper, Hamilton, & Scheetz.
His distinguished career in government began with his PhD dissertation on the Electoral College, the basis for a 1970 Senate Judiciary report credited with helping scuttle a proposed constitutional amendment to establish direct election of the president.
As counsel to Sen. James F. Buckley of New York, Michael drafted the first Human Life Amendment. He also served as assistant general counsel of the Federal Trade Commission and Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs in the Department of Justice.
From 1981 to 1984, he served as special assistant to President Ronald Reagan and associate director of the White House Office of Policy Development. He directed legal and administrative policy for the Reagan presidential transition and chaired the Department of Justice transition team for President-Elect George H. W. Bush.
Above all, Michael was a man of great faith and great patriotism, a serious and contemplative thinker who also told a fine joke. Charming and gracious, he built countless deep friendships. He often gave support when support was needed but not expected and was boundlessly kind to the least fortunate. Never slow with a retort, he enjoyed being described as a co-conspirator ("currently unindicted," he would add), but was more of a confidante who always gave good counsel.
In his speech accepting Claremont Institute's Henry Salvatori Prize in 2018, Michael counseled, "Take time to know your Creator, to acknowledge his beneficence, and to give thanks for His gifts of life, love, and laughter." He lived by that advice and ended every conversation with a humble "God bless." Those who loved and admired him are confident that the blessings of the Almighty are now upon him.
Michael is survived by his brother, Donald; five children, Rachael, Peter, Jennifer, Rebecca, and Sarah; and ten grandchildren, Hawkins, Sophie, Greta, Henry, Madeleine, Lily, Lucy, Isabella, Juliet, and Max.
A wake will be held at Eaton and MacKay Funeral Home at 465 Centre Street in Newton, MA on Oct. 25, 2019 at 7pm until 9 pm. The funeral will be held on Oct. 26, 2019 starting at 11 am at St. John the Evangelist Church, 9 Glen Road, Wellesley, MA.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Human Life Foundation, 271 Madison Ave., Room 1005, New York, NY

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