Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links > >

Blatz, Jerome V. "Jerry, Joe"

Senate 1963-66 (District 32); Senate 1967-72 (District 27); Senate 1973-76 (District 38)

Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

Counties Served:  Hennepin

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: ??/??/1923
Birth Place: Bloomington, Minnesota
Birth County: Hennepin
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 8/20/2009
Gender: Male
Religion: Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names: Jerry, Joe
City of Residence (when first elected): Bloomington
Occupation (when first elected): Lawyer/Former Teacher, Minnesota College of Law

EDUCATION

Nazareth Hall Preparatory School; Secondary;
Notre Dame University; B.A.; Political Science, 1946 or 1947
Harvard University, Law School; LL.B.; 1950

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Military: United States Navy Air Corps (Pilot, one source says he ended his military service in 1945, another says he served at the end of the Korean War); 19?? to 19??

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Mary "Kaye" (married in 1952)
Children: Nine children: Kathleen, Jeannie, Camille, Anita, Sara, Aimee, and Mary (daughters); Phil, and Joel (sons)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
Kathleen Ann Blatz  - Daughter
Thomas R. Berkelman  - Son-in-Law

GENERAL NOTES

He was born and raised on a farm.

He was a member of the Republican Party.

He went into a coma and died at Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, Minnesota. His funeral was held at the Nativity of Mary Catholic Church in Bloomington, Minnesota. He was buried at Assumption Cemetery.

Religion provided by his obituary.

Total Days Served: 5110

SESSIONS SERVED

69th Legislative Session (1975-1976) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1975
Body: Senate
District: 38
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Bloomington
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:
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Privacy
  • Judiciary: Private Law Reform
  • Judiciary: Public Law Reform
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Constitutional Amendments
  • Rules and Administration: Interim Commissions
  • Rules and Administration: Joint Rule 20 (Deadlines)
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
Body: Senate
District: 38
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Bloomington
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: Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Law Reform
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Interim Commissions
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1971
Body: Senate
District: 27
Elected: 11/3/1970
Residence: Bloomington
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:
  • Civil Administration
  • Education
  • Judiciary
  • Regulated Industries
  • Rules and Administration
  • Taxes and Tax Laws (Chair)
  • Urban Affairs

66th Legislative Session (1969-1970) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1969
Body: Senate
District: 27
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Bloomington
Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/3/1971
Oath Date: 1/3/1967
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Lawyer
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs
  • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Problems Division
  • General Legislation
  • Judiciary
  • Local Government
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Temperance and Liquor Control

65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1967
Body: Senate
District: 27
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Bloomington
Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/3/1971
Oath Date: 1/3/1967
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Lawyer
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs
  • Civil Administration and Metropolitan Affairs: Metropolitan Problems Division
  • General Legislation
  • Judiciary
  • Local Government
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Temperance and Liquor Control

64th Legislative Session (1965-1966) (second half of Senate term)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1965
Body: Senate
District: 32
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Bloomington
Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/1/1967
Oath Date: 1/8/1963
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Lawyer
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Cities of the First Class
  • Civil Administration
  • General Legislation
  • Judiciary
  • Municipal Affairs

63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

  Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1963
Body: Senate
District: 32
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Bloomington
Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/1/1967
Oath Date: 1/8/1963
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Lawyer/Former Teacher, Minnesota College of Law
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
  • Cities of the First Class
  • Civil Administration
  • General Legislation
  • Judiciary
  • Municipal Affairs

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.