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Laufenburger, Roger A.

Senate 1963-72 (District 2); Senate 1973-80 (District 34)

Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

Counties Served:  Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 9/5/1921
Birth Place: Winona, Minnesota
Birth County: Winona
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 9/20/2001
Gender: Male
Religion: Presbyterian
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected): Lewiston
Occupation (when first elected): Insurance Agency Owner/Daily Radio Show Announcer, Roger's Rumpus Room

EDUCATION

Winona High School; Secondary; Graduate
Vocational-Technical School; Insurance Training Courses

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Judge: Lewiston, Minnesota (Justice of the Peace); 1951 to 1953 [Elected]
Municipal Council/Aldermen: Lewiston, Minnesota (Village Council); 1956 to 1962 [Elected]
State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota State Transportation Regulation Board (Chair, Appointed by Governor Rudy Perpich); 08/1983 to 08/1989 [Appointed]
Municipal Council/Aldermen: Lewiston, Minnesota (City Council); 12/1989 to 199?
Municipal Mayor: Lewiston, Minnesota (City Mayor); 1992 to 2001

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Selma
Children: Four children: Bruce (son); (3 daughters)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: transportation, business, agriculture, labor-employment.

He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota Senate in the 1958 election.

He was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and was a Liberal.

He had a stroke and died at St. Anne's Hospice in Lewiston, Minnesota. His funeral was held at First Presbyterian Church in Lewiston, Minnesota.

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

Total Days Served: 6573

SESSIONS SERVED

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

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented: Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Commerce
  • Commerce: Banking
  • Employment (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration
  • Transportation
  • Transportation: Highways and Bridges
  • Transportation: Transportation Policy (Chair) [He was the Chair in 1979 only.]
Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election

70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented: Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Commerce
  • Commerce: Banking
  • Employment (Chair)
  • Rules and Administration
  • Transportation
  • Transportation: Public Transportation

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

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977
Counties Represented: Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
Committees:
  • Labor and Commerce
  • Labor and Commerce: Commerce and Insurance
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Interim Commissions
  • Rules and Administration: Joint Rule 20 (Deadlines)
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Transportation and General Legislation (Chair)
  • Transportation and General Legislation: Highways

68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977
Counties Represented: Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
Committees:
  • Labor and Commerce
  • Labor and Commerce: Commerce and Insurance
  • Rules and Administration
  • Rules and Administration: Interim Commissions
  • Taxes and Tax Laws
  • Transportation and General Legislation (Chair)
  • Transportation and General Legislation: Joint Fuel Oil (Chair)

67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/3/1970
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/5/1971 to 1/1/1973
Counties Represented: Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Civil Administration
  • Commerce and Insurance
  • Labor Relations
  • Public Highways
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

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

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/4/1971
Counties Represented: Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • General Legislation
  • Labor
  • Public Highways
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/4/1971
Counties Represented: Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • General Legislation
  • Labor
  • Public Highways
  • Taxes and Tax Laws

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

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/2/1967
Counties Represented: Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Game and Fish
  • General Legislation
  • Military Affairs and Civil Defense
  • Municipal Affairs

63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

  Session Details
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/2/1967
Counties Represented: Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner/Daily Radio Show Announcer, Roger's Rumpus Room
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
  • Agriculture
  • Game and Fish
  • General Legislation
  • Military Affairs and Civil Defense
  • Municipal Affairs
Articles & Books About
"Former State Senator Roger Laufenburger Dies at 80 (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, September 23, 2001.

Collins, Terry. "Roger Laufenburger, 80, Dies; State Senator, Mayor (Obituary)." Star Tribune, September 22, 2001.

Woody, Laura. "Ties Pull Laufenburger Home." Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 17, 1990, p. 1B.

Sturdevant, Lori. "Job as Lobbyist Saved Him From Early Retirement." Minneapolis Tribune, February 23, 1981, p. 8B.


Archive Collections
Roger A. Laufenburger Papers, 1969-1980 - Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections

The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.