State Rep. Steve McMillan passed away Thursday at the age of 80. McMillan announced in January that he had been diagnosed with brain tumors and would be undergoing treatment. The Baldwin County lawmaker was set to vacate the House District 95 seat at the end of his term.
McMillan was dean of the Alabama House of Representatives and was elected to the House as a Democrat in 1980. He switched to the Republican party in 1993. He was the owner of the real estate firm McMillan and Associates.
House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said McMillan’s experience made him a mentor and advisor to many.
“Because of his experience in the House, Steve was a mentor to many members through the years, and he was a close friend and trusted advisor to me,” McCutcheon stated in a press release. “He wasn’t afraid to take unpopular stands as long as it benefited or protected the people in his district. My wife Deb and I send out heartfelt condolences to his family.”
House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter released a statement on behalf of the Alabama House Republican Caucus.
“Throughout his 42 years in the Alabama House of Representatives, Rep. Steve McMillan worked tirelessly to serve the needs of his Baldwin County constituents and make Alabama an even better place to live, work, worship, and raise a family. His integrity and demeanor earned him the trust of House members on both sides of the aisle, and he worked effectively with Republicans and Democrats alike,” stated Ledbetter. “Every House Speaker under whom he served respected his opinion and was influenced by his counsel. When Rep. McMillan spoke, his colleagues listened.”
He continued, “Every House Speaker under whom he served respected his opinion and was influenced by his counsel. When Rep. McMillan spoke, his colleagues listened. Steve McMillan’s legacy will live on in the scores of legislators he mentored and advised, the important measures he sponsored and passed, and the Lodge at Gulf State Park that he worked so hard for so many years to make a reality.”
Ledbetter concluded, “His was a life well-lived. The members of the Alabama House Republican Caucus join me in lifting up the McMillan family in this time of need and asking God to give them strength and consolation in the days ahead.”
McMillan’s funeral will be held on May 7 at Gulf Shores United Methodist Church.
