Mike Cross | |
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Louisiana State Senator from District 13 (East Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, and Livingston parishes) | |
In office 1981–1996 |
|
Preceded by | Gaston Gerald |
Succeeded by | Mike Branch |
Mayor of Baker, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana | |
In office 1976–1981 |
|
Preceded by | Pete Heine |
Succeeded by | Pete Heine |
Member of the Baker City Council | |
In office 1972–1976 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Michael Aduron Cross September 8, 1944 Baker, East Baton Rouge Parish Louisiana, USA |
Died | November 18, 2013 Baker, Louisiana |
(aged 69)
Resting place | Inurnment |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) |
(1) Peggy Cross (divorced) |
Children |
Shane Michael Cross |
Parents |
Aduron B. and Margie "Lulalee" McCulloch Cross |
Residence | Baker, Louisiana |
Alma mater | University of Louisiana at Lafayette |
Occupation | Marketing consultant; lobbyist |
(1) Peggy Cross (divorced)
Shane Michael Cross
Clifton L. Cross
Ryan Michael Cross
Matthew Aaron Cross
Christen Joanna Cross
Aduron B. and Margie "Lulalee" McCulloch Cross
Michael Aduron "Mike" Cross (September 8, 1944 – November 18, 2013) was an American businessman and lobbyist who served from 1981 to 1996 as a Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate from District 13 (East Feliciana, East Baton Rouge, and Livingston parishes) in Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Prior to his legislative service, Cross was from 1976 to 1981 the mayor of Baker in suburban East Baton Rouge Parish. After his senatorial service ended, Cross was a lobbyist for CLECO Electric and the Louisiana Municipal Association.
Cross was a son of the late Audron B. Cross and the former Lulalee McCulloch. From two marriages, he had four sons, Shane Michael Cross, Clifton Lance Cross, Ryan Michael Cross, and Matthew Aaron Cross, and two daughters, Lauren Adrianne Cross and Christen Joanna Cross. His widow is the former Kristie Pospisil, his second wife. He graduated in 1962 from Baker High School and attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana.He was employed in the chemical industry before he entered politics and lobbying.
From 1972 to 1976, Cross served on the Baker City Council. In 1976, he was elected mayor of Baker. The incumbent Pete Heine vacated the position to run unsuccessfully against Baton Rouge Mayor-President W.W. Dumas. Cross won again as mayor of Baker in 1980 but stepped down the next year to enter the state Senate. Heine then succeeded Cross as mayor and served until 1992. On October 1, 1988, Cross ran third in a race for the mayor-presidency of East Baton Rouge Parish. Tom Ed McHugh won the position in a general election runoff against Dumas, who was attempting a comeback for a fifth term at the age of seventy-two.