Background
Feikens, John was born on December 3, 1917 in Clifton, New Jersey, United States. Son of Sipke and Corine (Wisse) Feikens.
Feikens, John was born on December 3, 1917 in Clifton, New Jersey, United States. Son of Sipke and Corine (Wisse) Feikens.
Bachelor, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1938. Juris Doctor, University Michigan, 1941. Doctor of Laws (honorary), University Detroit, 1979.
Doctor of Laws (honorary), Detroit College Law, 1981.
He was the Senior Judge, United States. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (1986–present). Feikens had the unusual honor of being nominated to the same district court by three presidents. He later resided in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan.
He practiced law in Detroit from 1942 to 1960 and from 1961 to 1970.
He worked in the priorities and war allocations department of the Detrex Corporation, in Detroit, Michigan from 1942 to 1946. He entered the private practice of law in Detroit in 1946.
He was an alternate delegate to the 1952 Republican National Convention, a delegate to the 1956 convention, and an alternate delegate in 1960. On October 13, 1960, Feikens received a recess appointment from Eisenhower to a seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan vacated by Clifford Patrick O"Sullivan.
Eisenhower formally nominated Feikens to the position on January 10, 1961, but the United States Senate did not confirm him, due largely to the opposition of Senator McNamara of Michigan.
Feikens initial term of service was therefore terminated on September 27, 1961. He was nominated again by Kennedy, but the president withdrew the nomination. His third and final nomination came from Richard M. Nixon, on October 7, 1970, to a new seat created by 84 Statistics
294.
By this time, McNamara had died, and Feikens was confirmed by the United States Senate on November 25, 1970, and received his commission on December 1, 1970. He served as Chief Judge from 1979 to 1986, and became a Senior Judge on March 1, 1986, continuing to serve in that position until his death. Feikens died May 15, 2011.
He was 93.
Director of the Detroit Bar Association in (1962–1967), president 1967. Trustee to the Detroit Bar Association Foundation State Bar of Michigan Commissioner (1965–1971) Director of the Economic Club of Detroit Company-Chairman, Michigan Civil Rights Commission, (1964–1968) Board of Trustees, New Detroit, Incorporated. (1968–1970) Board of Trustees, Calvin College (1968–1974) University of Michigan Club Committee of Visitors, University of Michigan Law School Director, Economic Club of Detroit.
Past board of trustees Calvin College. Fellow American College Trial Lawyers. Member American Bar Association, Detroit Bar Association (director) 1962, past president), State Bar Michigan (commissioner 1965-1971), University of Michigan Club (com.visitors).
Married Henriette Dorothy Schulthouse, November 4, 1939. Children: Jon, Susan Corine, Barbara Edith, Julie Anne, Robert H.