Richard Headlee

Richard Harold Headlee (May 16, 1930 – November 9, 2004) was the author of the Headlee Amendment, a Michigan law that places restrictions on tax increases without voter approval. He was also the 1982 Republican candidate for Governor of Michigan. During 1963 he served as the National President of the Jaycees.

Biography

Headlee was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa to William Clark and Violet Lunn Headlee and grew up in Richfield, Utah. He graduated from Utah State University in 1953. In 1949 Headlee married his high school sweetheart, Mary Elaine Mendenhall. They had four sons and five daughters.

After graduating from college, Headlee joined the US military and was stationed in Mannheim, Germany. He then came to Bountiful, Utah where he joined the Jaycees and eventually became the national president in 1963.

In 1964 Headlee moved to Michigan. That year he was appointed by Governor George Romney to run a program for Michigan servicemen in Vietnam. In 1966 Headlee served as Romney's campaign manager. It was the fact that Romney could outwork him that convinced Headlee to investigate the LDS Church. He was baptized in 1966 and he was sealed to his wife, who was a lifelong church member, and children in 1967 in the Salt Lake Temple.