R. Kevin Clinton

R. Kevin Clinton, of East Lansing, passed away peacefully on August 18th, 2024 at the age of 69, surrounded by his loving family in their summer home in Boyne City, MI. Kevin was born to Roy and Maxine Clinton in Detroit on Valentine’s Day in 1955. He faced pancreatic cancer with unwavering strength, steadfast courage, and a positive spirit since his diagnosis in January of 2023. He received care at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center in Ann Arbor and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Kevin’s kindness and sense of humor never faded throughout his illness, and was known to begin every appointment answering the doctor’s question of “how are you feeling today?” with a cheerful, “I’m great, how are you!?”.

Kevin attended the University of Michigan where he was a pitcher for the Wolverines’ baseball team. During the fall of his senior year, he met his future wife Marilyn after breaking his nose while playing in the annual Homecoming Mud Bowl at Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Kevin graduated from the University of Michigan in 1977 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and again in 1978 with a Master’s degree in Actuarial Science. After graduation, while working for Michigan Mutual Insurance company in Detroit, Kevin studied for and passed all ten Actuarial Exams and became a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society in 1982. At that time, he was the youngest CAS Fellow.

Kevin then moved to East Lansing for his first government role as the Chief Actuary for the State of Michigan. His career then took him to Physicians Insurance Company of Michigan (PICOM) as CFO, followed by Michigan Educational Employees Mutual Insurance Company (MEEMIC) as President & CEO, and American Physicians Capital, where he began as CFO, eventually moving into the role of President & CEO. Kevin returned to government service after being appointed by Governor Snyder first to the position of Commissioner of Insurance in 2011 and then later to the position of Treasurer of the State of Michigan in 2013. Kevin served proudly in this role until 2015, and during his time in office he hosted the Treasurers from all 50 states for a meeting on Mackinac Island. After leaving state government, Kevin joined Michigan State University as a professor and Director of the Actuarial Science Program. Finally, in 2017, Kevin was named Executive Director of the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association, a position he held until his retirement in January 2024. Kevin also served on the Board of Directors for both Jackson National Life Insurance Company of New York and Illinois Casualty Company Holdings. Throughout his career, Kevin was not only celebrated for his exceptional analytical intuition but also revered as an outstanding leader.

Kevin is survived by his wife Marilyn, having recently celebrated their 45th anniversary on August 11th, and his beloved children, Ryan and Chelsea Clinton of Nashville, TN, Colleen Clinton of Ann Arbor, Connor and Katherine Clinton of New York City, Avery Clinton of Brooklyn, NY, and grandsons Ryder and Jordan Clinton of Nashville, TN. He is also survived by his siblings, Nancy and her husband Michael Garrison, Mark and his wife Carol Clinton, MaryLee and her husband Tom McHugh, brother-in-law Richard and his wife Maren Johnson, and eleven nieces and nephews.

Kevin was dearly loved by his family and time spent together was full of laughter, Michigan football, boating on Lake Charlevoix, great wine, movie parties, rounds of golf, and planning the next visit! Kevin is remembered as one of the most selfless and caring people, always putting his family and friends first, doing everything he could to put a smile on their faces (and even run a helpful errand!).

Kevin’s love of travel took the family on annual trips around the world, which tended to be jam-packed, and in true Kevin fashion, extremely well-planned. Highlights over the years included riding roller coasters across California, body surfing in Hawaii, snorkeling the continental divide in Iceland, and adventures in London, Paris, Berlin, Florence, Zurich, and Amsterdam. He loved visiting historic sites and along the way we visited museums, churches, castles, zoos, gardens, and the occasional brewery. Kevin knew that it was important for us to see the world.

Kevin was an avid golfer, hitting the links whenever it wasn’t snowing (and even sometimes when it was!). His golfing buddies were like a second family to him, and he often returned home with tears of laughter after one of their elaborate pranks.

Our time together was cut short and we are broken with his loss, though, we are heartened knowing that Kevin is on to his next great adventure.