Begich, Joseph R. "Joe"
House 1975-82 (District 6A); House 1983-92 (District 6B)
Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Counties Served:
St. Louis
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
1/17/1930
Birth Place:
Eveleth, Minnesota
Birth County:
St. Louis
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
8/10/2019
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
Joe
City of Residence (when first elected):
Eveleth
Occupation (when first elected):
Management, Mining
EDUCATION
Eveleth High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1947
ICS School, United States Army; Postsecondary; Officer Training, 2 years
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Military:
United States Army Infantry (Korea, 4.5 years);
19?? to 19??
Municipal Mayor:
Eveleth, Minnesota (City Mayor);
1965 to 1974
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (Legislative Member, Chair);
1977 to 1992
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation/Iron Range Resources Board (Citizen Member);
1999 to 20??
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Carolyn
Children:
One child: Rebecca (daughter)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
He had Croatian ancestry.
He was a member of the Evelth, Minnesota Hospital Board.
A section of Hwy. 101 was renamed "Representative Joe Begich Highway" in 2017.
Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1979-80.
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Legislator/Consultant/Retired, Taconite Industry
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Labor-Management Relations (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations: Worker's Compensation and Unemployment Insurance
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Property Tax
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Safety
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/8/1988
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Legislator/Consultant/Retired, Taconite Industry
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment
-
Labor-Management Relations (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations: Unemployment Insurance and Workers' Compensation
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Property Tax
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Safety
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Legislator/Consultant/Retired, Mining Management, Taconite Industry
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Labor-Management Relations (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations: Unemployment Insurance and Workers Compensation Division
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Tax Law Division
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Highways and Motor Vehicles
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/6/1984
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Retired Miner/Legislator
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Unemployment Insurance and Workers Compensation Division
-
Taxes
Body: House
District: 06B
Elected: 11/2/1982
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/7/1985
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Mining, Management
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment
-
Labor-Management Relations (Chair)
-
Labor-Management Relations: General Labor Legislation
-
Labor-Management Relations: Workers' Compensation Division
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Tax Laws Division
-
Taxes: Tax Laws Division: State-Local Fiscal Affairs Subcommittee
Body: House
District: 06A
Elected: 11/4/1980
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Mining, Management
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Environment
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Workers Compensation (Chair)
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Mineral Taxation (Chair)
-
Taxes: Tax Laws Division
Body: House
District: 06A
Elected: 11/7/1978
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/3/1979 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Assistant General Foreman, Maintenance, Erie Mining
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Labor-Management Relations: Worker's Compensation (Chair)
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
-
Taxes
-
Taxes: Division II - Property and Natural Resources Division
Body: House
District: 06A
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/2/1979
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Mining, Management, Erie Mining
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Local and Urban Affairs
Body: House
District: 06A
Elected: 11/5/1974
Residence: Eveleth
Term of Office: 1/7/1975 to 1/3/1977
Counties Represented:
St. Louis
Occupation: Management, Mining
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
-
Local and Urban Affairs
Articles & Books About
Burnes, Jerry and Killealea, Eric. "A Champion of the Range, Joe Begich, Dies: Longtime Politician Left a Legacy of Speaking His Mind." Hibbing Daily Tribune, August 12, 2019.
Tyssen, Linda. "Begich is Remembered as Man True to His Word." Mesabi Daily News, August 12, 2019.
Walsh, Paul. "Joe Begich: 1930-2019: Ex-Legislator was Staunch Iron Range Defender." Star Tribune, August 12, 2019.
"Iron Range Legislator Joe Begich has Died." CBS3 Duluth, August 10, 2019.
"Longtime Iron Range Lawmaker Begich Dies." Duluth News Tribune, August 10, 2019.
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.