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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
    Click to view

    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
    Click to view

    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
    Click to view

    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
    Click to view

    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.

    Photographs

    Portrait of Wendell Oliver Erickson. c. 1977. Photo credit: Minnesota House of Representatives.

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