The Honorable Floyd Clack

CLACK, The Honorable Floyd - Age 84, passed away Thursday, April 3, 2025, at Landings of Genesee Valley. Family hour 10:00 AM Saturday, April 12, 2025, at Grace Emmanuel Baptist Church, 3502 Lapeer Rd., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM, Rev. Dr. Rabon Turner, Presiding, Pastor Douglas Banks, officiating, Rev. Dr. Darryl Williams, Eulogist. Interment River Rest Cemetery, G-4413 Flushing Rd. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the Church 10:00 AM Saturday, Mr. Clack will lie in state at Vernon Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church and may be viewed Friday, from 12:00 PM-8:00 PM with family present to receive friends from 4:00 PM-6:00 PM. The Masonic Service will be held Friday, April 11, 2025, at 6:00 PM. Floyd Clack, a devoted public servant, educator, and trailblazing leader whose legacy touched lives across Michigan and beyond, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 at the age of 84, surrounded by family and loved ones. Floyd leaves to cherish his memory: wife, Brenda Jones Clack; three children, Michael Clack, Mia (Wilton) Clack-Bennett, all of Flint, Michigan, and Monica Parker of Houston, Texas; 4 grandchildren, Hailee Clack, Princeton Clack, Sanai Clack, and Carter Hopkins of Flint, Michigan. two siblings, RC (Bonnie) Clack and Celia (Detroit) McKinney; sisters-in-law; Mona Jones; brothers-in-law, Douglas Jones, Lyncha Jones, Stan Downs, John Downs, and Carlos Downs; 11 nieces, Monica & Ava (Mamadou) Ndaw, Joyce Mckinney, Kim (Karen) Clack, Pamela McKinney, Carla Clack, Dana Clack, Michelle (Brazelle) Banks, Romegan Norman, Zorina Howell, Paris Jones, Latisha Jones, and Jada Jones; 10 nephews, Benjamin Clack, Richard Jones, Phillip Jones, Omar Howell, Kenneth Howell, Antwan Howell, Chris Howell, Erick Downs, and Jalen Jones; close family friends, Georgia McCall, Reta Stanley, Toni Smith (mother of Hailee and Princeton), William “Bill” McLean, Billy Harrell of Texas, and Gloria Malone of Texas, Clara Jones, Robert and Connie Barnett, Sweetie Vickers, Kellie Green, Ron Moss, and Charlotte Edwards. Floyd was preceded in death by parents; RC Clack Sr. and Thelma Hollingsworth Clack Dightman; grandparents, Floyd and Ida Clack; sister, Nadine Woodard; aunts, Alberta Williams and Ora Long; uncles, Amos Clack and Hosea Clack. Born in Houston, Texas in 1940 and raised in the close-knit community of Trinidad, Texas, Floyd was deeply shaped by the values of hard work, faith, and service to other principles instilled in him from an early age by his family and community. These core values would remain the bedrock of his character and guide his every endeavor throughout a life defined by leadership, resilience, and an unwavering dedication to uplifting those around him. A proud graduate of Texas Southern University (1965), Floyd furthered his commitment to justice and public service by attending the Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and received a Master of Arts Degree from Eastern Michigan University (1972). His passion for education and equity led him to begin his professional journey in the Houston, Texas Public Schools, where he worked tirelessly to support students and create opportunities for academic growth and personal development. Floyd’s journey would later take him to Wisconsin, where he joined the Federal Government’s Job Corps programming initiative focused on providing young people with the education and vocational training necessary for success. His work there demonstrated his steadfast belief in the power of second chances and his lifelong dedication to opening doors for others. Eventually, Floyd made his home in Flint, Michigan, where he continued his legacy of service by building an extraordinary career rooted in compassion, justice, and an unwavering commitment to the public good. Whether mentoring young leaders, advocating for underserved communities, or offering steady guidance to friends and neighbors, Floyd remained a pillar of strength, humility, and purpose. It was in Flint that he met the love of his life, Brenda Jones, who later became Brenda Jones Clack. Together, they built a life dedicated to service and raised two children, Michael and Mia Clack, instilling in them the same values of integrity, resilience, and community. His life stands as a testament to what is possible when one leads with heart, integrity, and an unshakable belief in the dignity and potential of every human being. Floyd began his professional journey as an educator and guidance counselor in the Flint Community Schools, at Flint Northern High School. A steadfast advocate for young people, he empowered countless students to believe in their potential and pursue paths of purpose, which led to him founding the Flint Youth Leadership Institute. His deep belief in education as a transformative force for individuals and communities became the cornerstone of his life's work. His path soon led him into public office, where he served with honor and distinction on the Flint City Council where founded the Gun Amnesty-Gun BuyBack Program, and the Genesee County Board of Commissioners he served as: Chairman of Human Services Committee, Chairman of Equity and Diversity Subcommittee, and a member of the Board of Directors of Valley Area Agency on Aging, Genesee County Metropolitan Alliance, Section 32 (Environmental), 641 Solid Waste Planning Commission, Violence Prevention Coalition, JTPA CEO, Mass Transportation Authority, Board of Health, Greater Flint Health Coalition, Equity and Diversity Subcommittee, and New Paths Board of Directors. In 1983, Floyd was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives, where he served from 1983 to 1996, as a State Representative he served as Chairman of the House Standing Committee on Civil Rights and Women's Issues, Standing Committee on Committee on Corrections, Ad Hoc Special Committee on Alternatives for High Risk Students, Majority Caucus Second Vice Chair, Majority Vice Chair - House Standing Committee on Civil Rights, Majority Vice-Chair of the Committee on Urban Affairs, Vice-Chair of House Democratic Black Caucus, Elected as Majority Whip, of House Democratic Party. He was a member of the Corrections, Conservation, Environment and Great Lakes, Civil Rights, Constitution and Women's Issues Committee, the Labor, Tourism and Recreation, Civil Rights, Corporations & Finance Committee, Corrections, Insurance, Mental Health Committee, and the Colleges and Universities, Constitutional Revision & Women's Rights, Education, Labor, and Urban Affairs Committee. As State Representative, Floyd Clack earned a reputation as a thoughtful, principled, and visionary legislator. His work centered on advancing equitable public education, supporting working families, and advocating for sustainable development in Michigan’s urban communities. He was instrumental in crafting and championing legislation that increased school funding, expanded access to youth programs, and improved educational resources for underserved communities. He was especially known for his calm, measured approach, his ability to bring people together across party lines, and his unwavering dedication to his constituents in Flint and Genesee County. His time in the legislature was marked by a deep sense of duty to those often left out of the political conversation, and his voice carried weight as someone who had lived the realities his policies aimed to address. Floyd’s influence extended well beyond public office. He was a mentor, a friend, and a pillar of integrity who remained deeply rooted in his community. Whether counseling a young student, advising a new leader, or offering wisdom at the dinner table, he led with humility, warmth, and a servant’s heart. His service led to him receiving many awards, honors and recognitions such as: the 1988 Recipient David McMahon Award - Michigan Education Association, Stewart R. Mott Leadership Award, Key to the City of Flint and Council Resolution - Flint City Council, Leadership Award - Flint NAACP, Woodrow and Reta Stanley Lifetime Service Award, and the Man of the Year - Flint Inner City Lions Club. His community involvement consisted of founding the Floyd and Brenda Clack Thanksgiving Dinner for Senior Citizens - 1983, Floyd Clack All Star Baseball Team, Floyd Clack Community Project, Flint Inner City Lions Club. He served as the Chairman of the Coalition for Fair Banking Practices, Jesse Jackson for President Committee, Floyd J. McCree Tribute Committee, Texas Southern University - Michigan Alumni Chapter, appointed to the Board of Regents at Eastern Michigan University by former Governor Jennifer Granholm, Martin Luther King Bone Marrow Drive – 1993-1994 Flint Branch of the NAACP. Fraternal Memberships: Life Member Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, Mason of John W. Stevenson Lodge #56, Saginaw Consistory #71 33rd Degree Mason, and was a member of Vernon Chapel AME Church, where he served as a Trustee. In addition to the National Conference of State Legislators, Michigan Alternative Education Association, Urban League of Flint, Midwestern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments - Annual Meeting Committee, Genesee County Community Resources Department, Genesee County Democratic Party Executive Board Executive Board, Genesee County Community Resources Department, National Democratic Party, Texas Southern University National Alumni, Democratic Black Caucus, Michigan State Alumni Association, and the Greater Flint Thumb Area 4C Association Member. Though he has departed this world, Floyd’s legacy lives on in every life he touched—in the students he guided, the laws he helped shape, the neighborhoods he uplifted, and the future leaders he inspired. He leaves behind not only a record of service, but a call to action: to lead with purpose, to serve with humility, and to never stop fighting for a better tomorrow. The family encourages those who knew and loved him to honor his memory by continuing the work he began—advocating for justice, investing in education, and building stronger families and more inclusive communities.

The Honorable Floyd Clack

December 21, 1940 - April 3, 2025