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    Gunderson, Sr., Jerome Odell

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 1977-80 (District 35)

    Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

    Counties Served:  Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 1/7/1923
    Birth Place: Spring Grove, Minnesota
    Birth County: Houston
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 12/19/2016
    Gender: Male
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Mabel
    Occupation (when first elected): Retailer, Farm and Home Store/Insurance Agent

    EDUCATION

    Spring Grove High School; Secondary; Graduate

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    School Board/Administration: Mabel-Canton, Minnesota (School Board); 19?? to 19??

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Maxine Wright (married on May 30, 1943, she died in 2001); Marjorie Olson
    Children: Five children: Gary, James, Tony, Jean, and Jerome Jr.
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: education-handicapped and agriculture.

    "Jerome was especially concerned with underprivileged people and worked as a volunteer in several areas for the physically and mentally handicapped." (Rochester Post-Bulletin obituary)

    "He remains the only DFLer elected to the senate from Fillmore County." (Rochester Post-Bulletin obituary)

    "One of Gunderson's successes in the Legislature was his proposal to turn abandoned rail beds into bicycle trails Fillmore County's Root River Trail is a result of his early work on the project." (Rochester Post-Bulletin obituary)

    His funeral was held at Mabel First Lutheran Church on January 2, 2017.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 1463

    SESSIONS SERVED

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: Senate
    District: 35
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Mabel
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona
    Occupation: Retailer; Board Member, Morton House Corporation, Retail Farm-Home Store
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Education Aids
    • Education: Joint House/Senate Subcommittee on Libraries
    • Education: Post-Secondary and Higher Education
    • General Legislation and Administrative Rules
    • General Legislation and Administrative Rules: Arts
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • Local Government
    • Veterans' Affairs

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: Senate
    District: 35
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Mabel
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona
    Occupation: Retailer, Farm and Home Store/Insurance Agent
    Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Joint House/Senate Subcommittee on Libraries
    • Education: Post-Secondary and Higher Education
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • Local Government
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    • "Jerome Gunderson (obituary)." Rochester Post-Bulletin, December 24, 2016.

    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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