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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
    Body: Senate
    District: 49
    Elected: 12/3/1977
    Residence: White Bear Lake
    Term of Office: 12/9/1977 to 1/4/1981 (Special Election)
    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
    Body: Senate
    District: 49
    Elected: 12/3/1977
    Residence: White Bear Lake
    Term of Office: 12/9/1977 to 1/4/1981 (Special Election)
    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

    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

    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.

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