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    Erickson, Wendell Oliver

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1965-66 (District 19); House 1967-72 (District 19B); House 1973-82 (District 26B); House 1983-86 (District 27B)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

    Counties Served:  Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 6/17/1925
    Birth Place: Stanchfield, Minnesota
    Birth County: Isanti
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 8/8/2018
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Lutheran
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Hills
    Occupation (when first elected): School Teacher, Vocational Agriculture

    EDUCATION

    Braham High School; Secondary; 1943
    University of Minnesota; B.S.; Agricultural Education, 1951
    University of Minnesota; Attended Graduate School;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    School Board/Administration: Hills-Beaver Creek, Minnesota (School Board); [Dates Unknown] [Elected]
    County Board/Commissioner: Rock County, Minnesota (Fair Board); 19?? to 19??
    Military: United States Army Infantry (World War II, Pacific Theatre, 2 years); 1944 to 194?
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Education Council; 1968 to 19?? [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Kathryn Ann Thorsgard (married in 1953)
    Children: Five children: Margaret, Kirsten, Charles, Anna, and Hans
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was a member of the Republican Party.

    He was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church.

    Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975 and MN Legislative Manual, 1975-76.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 8036

    SESSIONS SERVED

    74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1985
    Body: House
    District: 27B
    Elected: 11/6/1984
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/7/1985 to 1/4/1987
    Oath Date: 1/8/1985
    Counties Represented: Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock
    Occupation: Farm Management Instructor, Hills Public School System
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agricultural Products Marketing
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Budget
    • Education (Chair)
    • Education: Education Finance Division
    • Education: Higher Education Division
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Special Subcommittee on Department of Public Safety
    term photo
    Click to view

    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1983
    Body: House
    District: 27B
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/3/1983 to 1/6/1985
    Oath Date: 1/4/1983
    Counties Represented: Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock
    Occupation: Farm Management Instructor
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Farm Policies and Programs
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: Highway and Motor Vehicle

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Nobles, Rock
    Occupation: Instructor, Adult Farm Management
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Products and Marketing
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Transportation
    • Transportation: General Transportation
    term photo
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    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/3/1979
    Counties Represented: Nobles, Rock
    Occupation: Adult Farm Management Instructor
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Products and Marketing
    • Agriculture: Agriculture Programs and Policies
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division (Chair) [He was the Chair in 1979 only.]
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Judicial Administration

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Nobles, Rock
    Occupation: Adult Farm Management Instructor
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Appropriations: Semi-State Division
    • Higher Education
    term photo
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    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/5/1974
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
    Oath Date: 1/7/1975
    Counties Represented: Nobles, Rock
    Occupation: Adult Farm Management Instructor
    Party: Republican
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Higher Education
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Rules and Legislative Administration

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
    Body: House
    District: 26B
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/5/1975
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Nobles, Rock
    Occupation: Vocational-Agriculture Instructor
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: Education Division
    • Higher Education
    term photo
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    67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1971
    Body: House
    District: 19B
    Elected: 11/3/1970
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/4/1971 to 12/31/1972
    Oath Date: 1/5/1971
    Counties Represented: Murray, Rock
    Occupation: Vocational-Agricultural Instructor
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Appropriations
    • Commerce and Economic Development
    • Environmental Preservation
    • Higher Education
    • Labor Relations

    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1969
    Body: House
    District: 19B
    Elected: 11/5/1968
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/6/1969 to 1/3/1971
    Oath Date: 1/7/1969
    Counties Represented: Murray, Rock
    Occupation: Vocational-Agricultural Instructor
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Appropriations
    • Commerce and Economic Development
    • County and Township Government
    • Higher Education
    • Labor Relations
    term photo
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    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1967
    Body: House
    District: 19B
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/5/1969
    Oath Date: 1/3/1967
    Counties Represented: Murray, Rock
    Occupation: School Teacher
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture
    • Appropriations
    • Commerce and Business Development
    • Drainage and Soil Conservation
    • Education
    • Labor-Management Relations

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1965
    Body: House
    District: 19
    Elected: 11/3/1964
    Residence: Hills
    Term of Office: 1/4/1965 to 1/1/1967
    Oath Date: 1/5/1965
    Counties Represented: Rock
    Occupation: School Teacher, Vocational Agriculture
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Cooperatives
    • Commerce
    • Education
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Law Enforcement and Juvenile Delinquency
    • State and Junior Colleges

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    News Sources

    The Library maintains newspaper clippings on individual legislators during their terms. Clippings are available from 1973 to the present in a variety of formats: 1973-1999, microfiche available at the Library; 2000-2009, scanned in yearly compilations and digitally available on the legislative network; 2009-present, archived in a searchable database maintained by the Library and available on the legislative network.
    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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