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    Keefe, Sr., John B.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1967-72 (District 29B); Senate 1973-82 (District 40)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 5/28/1928
    Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois
    Birth County:
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 3/11/1997
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Catholic
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Hopkins
    Occupation (when first elected): Lawyer

    EDUCATION

    Washburn High School, Minneapolis; Secondary; Graduate
    Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota; Attended College;
    University of Minnesota; B.A.;
    William Mitchell College of Law; LL.B.; 1950s

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Judge: Hopkins, Minnesota (Municipal Judge); 19?? to 19??
    Municipal Board/Commission: Minnetonka and Hopkins, Minnesota (Minnetonka-Hopkins Recreation Commission, City Commissioner of Recreation, Park Board); 19?? to 19??
    Military: United States Army; 1946 to 1947
    County Board/Commissioner: Hennepin County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); 1984 to 1994 [Elected]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Rosemary
    Children: Four children: John B. Jr., and Stephen or Steven (sons); Lynn, and Lisa (daughters)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was a member of the Republican Party.

    The Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1967-68 lists May 20 as his birthdate. All the Official Directories of the Minnesota Legislature and the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1977-78 list May 28. His grave marker lists May 28.

    He died of a heart attack at his condo in North Key Largo, Florida. He is interred in Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

    Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.

    Most recent term photo
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    Total Days Served: 5845

    SESSIONS SERVED

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/6/1981
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Hopkins
    Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
    Oath Date: 1/6/1981
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Lawyer
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Commerce
    • Commerce: Insurance
    • Finance
    • Finance: Education
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Law Revision
    • Judiciary: Privacy
    • Judiciary: Real Estate Law
    • Rules and Administration
    • Rules and Administration: Personnel
    term photo
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    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Hopkins
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Lawyer
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Finance
    • Finance: Education
    • Finance: Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • General Legislation and Administrative Rules
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Criminal Law
    • Judiciary: Privacy
    • Veterans' Affairs

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Hopkins
    Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 1/4/1981
    Oath Date: 1/4/1977
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Lawyer
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Finance
    • Finance: Education
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Criminal Law
    • Judiciary: Privacy
    term photo
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    69th Legislative Session (1975-1976) (second half of Senate term)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Hopkins
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/2/1977
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Lawyer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Independent Republican Caucus
    Committees:
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections: Health
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Criminal Law and Corrections
    • Judiciary: Revisor's Bill
    • Metropolitan and Urban Affairs
    • Metropolitan and Urban Affairs: Land Use and Physical Development

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
    Body: Senate
    District: 40
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Hopkins
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/2/1977
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Lawyer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Judiciary
    • Judiciary: Judicial Administration
    • Judiciary: Judiciary
    • Metropolitan and Urban Affairs
    term photo
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    67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1971
    Body: House
    District: 29B
    Elected: 11/3/1970
    Residence: Hopkins
    Term of Office: 1/4/1971 to 12/31/1972
    Oath Date: 1/5/1971
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Lawyer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • City Government
    • Financial Institutions
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Higher Education
    • Judiciary
    • Local Government
    • Transportation

    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1969
    Body: House
    District: 29B
    Elected: 11/5/1968
    Residence: Hopkins
    Term of Office: 1/6/1969 to 1/3/1971
    Oath Date: 1/7/1969
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Lawyer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the Second and Third Class
    • Crime Prevention
    • Financial Institutions and Securities
    • Judiciary
    • Metropolitan and Urban Affairs
    • Municipal Affairs
    • Regulated Industries and Utilities
    term photo
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    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1967
    Body: House
    District: 29B
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Hopkins
    Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/5/1969
    Oath Date: 1/3/1967
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Lawyer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Cities of the Second and Third Class
    • Claims
    • Judiciary
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Motor Vehicles
    • University and College

    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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