Michael William Ranville
Michael William “Mike” Ranville died on July 19, 2025. He was an author, political consultant, and historian. He was a resident of Charlotte for more than 50 years, and an active parishioner at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Mike Ranville was born in Flint, Michigan on December 3, 1943, and attended St. Agnes High School in Flint where he starred on both the football and baseball teams. He graduated from Central Michigan University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in communications.
Mike joined the United States Air Force in 1966 and was stationed in Washington, D.C. where he was responsible for communications support for the presidential aircraft, Air Force One.
After leaving the service, Mike returned to Michigan and began a career in communications and public relations. He later served as director of the Michigan Senate Democratic Staff.
Mike then joined Karoub Associates, a leading political consulting firm in Lansing. He became a partner, and represented the interests of many clients before the state legislature. Among his clients were the Michigan State Police Troopers Association, the Michigan Trucking Association, and his favorite, the Michigan Library Association, because of their zeal in advocating for free speech.
Mike’s great passion in life, besides the Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers, was writing and storytelling. He was the author of “To Strike at a King: The Turning Point in the McCarthy Witch-Hunt” (1997) and co-author of “Life to the Years: Living A Robust Life After Heart Disease” (2018). When he passed, he was working on “A Page in History,” about how communication and alliances across the aisle can solve important problems, and a biography of Gregory Eaton, his close friend and colleague.
He was also the author of numerous articles concerning history, sports, and politics, with his writing appearing in various publications including The Sporting News, Michigan History Magazine, Michigan Chronicle, Reminisce, and the Charlotte Shopping Guide.
Mike was a member of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Historical Commission, the Michigan Political History Society, and the Charlotte Performing Arts Center, and served on the Charlotte Planning Commission and for other organizations. He was a founding member of STEWED and co-founder of FROC.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Carol (Schaafsma) of Charlotte; his daughter, Mara, of New York; and by seven brothers and sisters: Donald, David, Dennis, Mary, Martin, Gerard, and Laurice; and by many nieces and nephews. Mike was the son of the late Donald R. Ranville and Dorothy M. (Wallace) Ranville.
Friends are encouraged to support Mike’s family by attending services or sharing memories on his Tribute Page at www.prayfuneral.com. Visitation was Friday, July 25, 2025 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. with a Rosary being said at 5:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Charlotte with Rev. Fr. Dwight Ezop officiating. The funeral will be webcast so you may watch it from any computer, smartphone, or mobile device that has internet access. Go to www.prayfuneral.com, click on Mike’s tribute, then click on Photos and Videos from your computer (or Media from your smart phone). Memorials in lieu of flowers can be made to the Courthouse Square Association, a nonprofit in Charlotte, Michigan (https://www.csamuseum.net/donate) or St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Charlotte (https://osvhub.com/the-catholic-community-of/giving/funds). The family is in the care of Pray Funeral Home, Charlotte.