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    Knaak, Delores J. "Dee"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    Senate 1977-80 (District 49)

    Party when first elected:  Independent Republican

    Counties Served:  Anoka, Ramsey

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 7/13/1929
    Birth Place: Hibbing, Minnesota
    Birth County: St. Louis
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 2/9/2020
    Gender: Female
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Dee
    City of Residence (when first elected): White Bear Lake
    Occupation (when first elected): Educator, Former Elementary School Teacher

    EDUCATION

    Hibbing High School; Secondary;
    St. Cloud State University; Attended College; Teaching degree, 1951
    Hibbing Junior College; Attended College;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Municipal Government: White Bear Lake, Minnesota (Senior Citizen Advisory Committee); 19?? to 19??
    Municipal Board/Commission: White Bear Lake, Minnesota (White Bear Lake Conservation District, Board Member); 19?? to 19??
    County Board/Commissioner: Ramsey County, Minnesota (County Commissioner); 1972 to 1975
    State Board/Commission/Council: Ramsey County, Minnesota (County Welfare Board); 1973 to 1975
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota State Arts Board (Secretary); 1990 to ?
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commissioner, Appointed by Governor Arne Carlson); 01/03/1991 to 1996 [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: William
    Children: Two children: Frederic "Fritz" (son), Marci (daughter)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
    Frederic W. Knaak  - Son

    GENERAL NOTES

    Special Legislative Concerns: education, taxes.

    She ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1974 election.

    She held the first Nursery School license issued in Minnesota. (Obituary, 2/24/2020)

    She is interred at St. John's University in Collegeville.

    Total Days Served: 1123

    SESSIONS SERVED

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

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1979
    Body: Senate
    District: 49
    Elected: 12/3/1977
    Residence: White Bear Lake
    Term of Office: 12/9/1977 to 1/4/1981 (Special Election)
    Oath Date: 12/9/1977
    Counties Represented: Anoka, Ramsey
    Occupation: Educator, Former Elementary School Teacher
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Joint House/Senate Subcommittee on Libraries
    • Education: Post-Secondary and Higher Education
    • General Legislation and Administrative Rules
    • Governmental Operations
    • Governmental Operations: Metropolitan Affairs-1979
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • Veterans' Affairs
    Session Notes: She won the Senate special election held due to the resignation of John Milton. She was sworn in on December 9, 1977.

    70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/4/1977
    Body: Senate
    District: 49
    Elected: 12/3/1977
    Residence: White Bear Lake
    Term of Office: 12/9/1977 to 1/4/1981 (Special Election)
    Oath Date: 12/9/1977
    Counties Represented: Anoka, Ramsey
    Occupation: Educator, Former Elementary School Teacher
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    Session Notes: She won the Senate special election held due to the resignation of John Milton. She was sworn in on December 9, 1977.

    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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