Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Legislators Past & Present
    • >
  • Member Record
    • Legislators Past & Present Home

    Dunn, Robert G. "Bob"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1965-66 (District 28); House 1967-72 (District 25B); Senate 1973-80 (District 18)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus

    Counties Served:  Benton, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Wright

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 1/25/1923
    Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Birth County: Hennepin
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 3/15/2017
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Congregational
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Bob
    City of Residence (when first elected): Princeton
    Occupation (when first elected): Lumber Dealer/Building Contractor

    EDUCATION

    Blake School; Secondary;
    Amherst College, Massachusetts; B.A.; Political Science, 1948

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Municipal Board/Commission: Princeton, Minnesota (City Planning Commission); 19?? to 19??
    Military: United States Marine Corps (World War II); 1942 to 1946
    Military: United States Marine Corps (Korean War); 1950 to 1952
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Education Council; 1974 to ? [Appointed]
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Waste Management Board (Director/Chair); 07/01/1980 to 09/01/1985

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Mary Louise Caley (married in 1951; she died in 1969); Remarried Bette Lee Hedenstrom (married in 1972)
    Children: Seven children: Ruth, Susan, George, Libby, Bill, Bob, Mary.
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Robert Campbell Dunn  - Grandfather

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: environment, natural resources, local government, education.

    He was a member of the Republican Party.

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

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 5657

    SESSIONS SERVED

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

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Princeton
    Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 7/1/1980 (unfinished term)
    Counties Represented: Benton, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Retail Lumber Dealer
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources: Public Land and Water Resources
    • Education
    • Education: Education Aids
    • Education: Educational Organization
    • Finance
    • Finance: State Departments
    • General Legislation and Administrative Rules
    • Joint Agriculture and Natural Resources/Governmental Operations/Local Government/Taxes and Tax Laws/Transportation: Agricultural Land Preservation
    • Veterans' Affairs
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    Leadership Notes: He resigned from the Minnesota Legislature on July 1, 1980.
    Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office
    Session Notes: He resigned to become the Chair of the Minnesota Waste Management Board. A special election was not held to fill this seat.

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/2/1976
    Residence: Princeton
    Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 7/1/1980 (unfinished term)
    Counties Represented: Benton, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Retail Lumber Dealer
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources
    • Agriculture and Natural Resources: Public Land and Water Resources
    • Education
    • Education: Education Aids
    • Education: Educational Organization
    • Finance
    • Finance: State Departments
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office
    Session Notes: He resigned to become the Chair of the Minnesota Waste Management Board. A special election was not held to fill this seat.
    term photo
    Click to view

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

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Princeton
    Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977
    Counties Represented: Benton, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Lumber Dealer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Independent Republican Caucus
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Post-Secondary and Higher Education Planning and Coordination
    • Education: Teacher Preparation, Standards and Certification
    • Local Government
    • Natural Resources and Agriculture
    • Natural Resources and Agriculture: Environmental Protection
    • Natural Resources and Agriculture: Public Lands
    • Natural Resources and Agriculture: Water Resources
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details
    Body: Senate
    District: 18
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Princeton
    Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977
    Counties Represented: Benton, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Wright
    Occupation: Lumber Dealer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Teacher Preparation, Standards and Certification
    • Local Government
    • Natural Resources and Agriculture
    • Natural Resources and Agriculture: Environmental Protection
    • Natural Resources and Agriculture: Public Lands
    term photo
    Click to view

    67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 25B
    Elected: 11/3/1970
    Residence: Princeton
    Term of Office: 1/5/1971 to 1/1/1973
    Counties Represented: Mille Lacs, Sherburne
    Occupation: Lumber Dealer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Environmental Preservation
    • Local Government
    • Natural Resources
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    • Taxes

    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 25B
    Elected: 11/5/1968
    Residence: Princeton
    Term of Office: 1/7/1969 to 1/4/1971
    Counties Represented: Mille Lacs, Sherburne
    Occupation: Lumber Dealer
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Conservation
    • County and Township Government
    • Education
    • Employee Compensation and Retirements
    • Health and Welfare
    • Land and Water Resources
    term photo
    Click to view

    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 25B
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Princeton
    Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/6/1969
    Counties Represented: Mille Lacs, Sherburne
    Occupation: Lumber Dealer/Building Contractor
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Employees Compensation
    • Forestry and Public Domain
    • Health and Welfare
    • Labor-Management Relations
    • Recreation and Water Resources

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 28
    Elected: 11/3/1964
    Residence: Princeton
    Term of Office: 1/5/1965 to 1/2/1967
    Counties Represented: Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Sherburne
    Occupation: Lumber Dealer/Building Contractor
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Health and Welfare
    • Recreation and Water Resources

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    "Robert Dunn: Businessman, Legislator: In his Worldview, Business Had a Duty to the Environment." Star Tribune, March 31, 2017.

    "Dunn, Robert G. 'Bob'." Star Tribune, March 19, 2017.


    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.

    Legislators Past & Present Home