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    Flakne, Gary W.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1963-72 (District 35); House 1973 (District 61A)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 3/12/1934
    Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Birth County: Hennepin
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 1/3/2016
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Lutheran
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    City of Residence (when first elected): Minneapolis
    Occupation (when first elected): Attorney At Law

    EDUCATION

    Minneapolis Public Schools; Elementary School;
    Shattuck School, Faribault, Minnesota; Secondary; Graduate
    University of Minnesota; B.S.L.; 1956
    William Mitchell College of Law; LL.B.; 1960

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Military: Minnesota Reserves (Colonel); [Dates Unknown]
    Military: Minnesota Army National Guard (Judge Advocate General); 19?? to 19??
    State Legislative Staff: Minnesota Senate (Counsel to the Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee); 1961 to 1962
    County Attorney: Hennepin County, Minnesota; 1973 to 1979 [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Patricia
    Children: Four children (while in office): Brian, Ross, Keith, and Mark (sons); (three more children born after he left office): Alison, Donna, and Leslie
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was a member of the Republican Party.

    "...it would be a mistake...to overlook Flakne's record as one of the 'Young Turk' progressive Republicans responsible for waves of reform legislation, and later his nationally significant innovations in the field of victims' rights as county attorney." Lyall Schwarzkopf (Star Tribune, January 8, 2016.)

    "Gary...and others passed a major piece of civil rights legislation making racial discrimination in housing illegal..." Brian Flakne (Star Tribune, January 8, 2016.)

    Gary was also an election analyst for KARE-TV and a political panel member for Almanac. (Star Tribune, January 8, 2016)

    Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1963-64.

    His funeral was held at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 3837

    SESSIONS SERVED

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 61A
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 7/10/1973 (unfinished term)
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Appropriations: State Departments Division
    • Crime Prevention and Corrections
    • Health and Welfare
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    Leadership Notes: He resigned from the Minnesota Legislature in July 1973.
    Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office
    Session Notes: He was appointed Hennepin County Attorney on July 9, 1973. His term end date is uncertain due to the timing of his resignation.
    term photo
    Click to view

    67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 35
    Elected: 11/3/1970
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/5/1971 to 1/1/1973
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Crime Prevention
    • Governmental Operations
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections (Chair)
    • Judiciary
    • Reapportionment and Elections

    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 35
    Elected: 11/5/1968
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/7/1969 to 1/4/1971
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Cities of the First Class
    • Health and Welfare
    • Insurance
    • Judiciary
    • Public Institutions
    term photo
    Click to view

    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 35
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/6/1969
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney at Law
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Cities of the First Class
    • Health and Welfare
    • Insurance and Securities
    • Judiciary
    • Recreation and Water Resources

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 35
    Elected: 11/3/1964
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/5/1965 to 1/2/1967
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney At Law
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Cities of the First and Second Class
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • Highways
    • Insurance
    • Judiciary

    63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 35
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Minneapolis
    Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/4/1965
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney At Law
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Cities of the 1st and 2nd Class
    • Highways
    • Judiciary
    • Veterans and Military Affairs
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    Peterson, David. "He led a first-of-its-kind trial in hockey, and spread laughs." Star Tribune, January 8, 2016.

    "Flakne, Gary W. (Obituary)." Star Tribune, January 7, 2016.


    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.

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