Minnesota Legislature

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Reding, Leo John

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 1975-82 (District 31B); House 1987-92 (District 31B); House 1993-94 (District 27B)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Freeborn, Mower

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 6/6/1924

Birth Place: , Minnesota

Birth County: Mower

Birth Country:

Date of Death: 10/12/2015

Gender: Male

Religion: Catholic

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): Austin

Occupation (when first elected): Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant

EDUCATION

Rose Creek, Minnesota; Secondary;
St. Thomas College; B.S.; Physical Education

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Municipal Council/Aldermen: 1st Ward, Austin, Minnesota (City Alderman); 1968 to 1970

Municipal Mayor: Austin, Minnesota (City Mayor, 2 terms); 1970 to 1974

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Marian
Children: Five children: Colleen, Maureen, Terry, Laurie, and Tom

Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

"Leo was a staunch conservationist, working tirelessly to improve the lot of nature and its inhabitants." Austin Daily Herald, October 14, 2015.

"He wore bright, colorful sportcoats and ties at the Capitol that made him stand out. ...'He was known as the technicolor lawmaker,' said Al Layman, who worked with Reding as a committee administrator for the Minnesota House." Rochester Post-Bulletin, October 16, 2015.

Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975 and the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1987-88.

His funeral was held at St. Augustine Catholic Church. He was buried in Calvary Cemetery.

Click to view

Total Days Served: 5838

SESSIONS SERVED

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1993

Body: House

District: 27B

Elected: 11/3/1992

Residence: Austin

Term of Office: 1/4/1993 to 1/1/1995
Oath Date: 1/5/1993

Counties Represented: Mower

Occupation: Retired

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Capital Investment
Financial Institutions and Insurance (Chair)
Financial Institutions and Insurance: Banking
Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance
Governmental Operations and Gambling
Governmental Operations and Gambling: Administrative Rules

77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/8/1991

Body: House

District: 31B

Elected: 11/6/1990

Residence: Austin

Term of Office: 1/7/1991 to 1/3/1993
Oath Date: 1/8/1991

Counties Represented: Freeborn, Mower

Occupation: Retired

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
Ethics
Financial Institutions and Insurance
Financial Institutions and Insurance: Banking Division
Governmental Operations (Chair)
Governmental Operations: Government Structures Division
Governmental Operations: Pensions
Governmental Operations: Personnel
Regulated Industries

Click to view

76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1989

Body: House

District: 31B

Elected: 11/8/1988

Residence: Austin

Term of Office: 1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
Oath Date: 1/3/1989

Counties Represented: Freeborn, Mower

Occupation: Retired

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Economic Development
Economic Development: International Trade and Technology Division (Chair)
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
Ethics
Governmental Operations (Chair) [He became Chair on November 1, 1989.]
Governmental Operations: Pensions
Insurance
Rules and Legislative Administration

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/1987

Body: House

District: 31B

Elected: 11/4/1986

Residence: Austin

Term of Office: 1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
Oath Date: 1/6/1987

Counties Represented: Freeborn, Mower

Occupation: Retired Teacher and Packinghouse Worker, Hormel Plant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources
Future and Technology (Chair)
Future and Technology: Software
Future and Technology: Telecommunication
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Gaming
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Gaming: Gaming
General Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Gaming: Veterans Affairs and Miscellaneous Legislation
Governmental Operations
Governmental Operations: Pensions (Chair)
Higher Education
Rules and Legislative Administration

72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/1981

Body: House

District: 31B

Elected: 11/4/1980

Residence: Austin

Term of Office: 1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
Oath Date: 1/6/1981

Counties Represented: Mower

Occupation: Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Energy
Environment and Natural Resources
Environment and Natural Resources: Game and Fish
Governmental Operations
Governmental Operations: Pensions and Investments (Chair)
Regulated Industries

Click to view

71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/1979

Body: House

District: 31B

Elected: 11/7/1978

Residence: Austin

Term of Office: 1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
Oath Date: 1/3/1979

Counties Represented: Mower

Occupation: Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Commerce, Economic Development and Housing
Commerce, Economic Development and Housing: Business and Job Development
Energy and Utilities
Energy and Utilities: Alternative Energy Systems
Governmental Operations
Governmental Operations: Administration and Structures

70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/1977

Body: House

District: 31B

Elected: 11/2/1976

Residence: Austin

Term of Office: 1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
Oath Date: 1/4/1977

Counties Represented: Mower

Occupation: Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Commerce and Economic Development
Governmental Operations
Transportation

Click to view

69th Legislative Session (1975-1976)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1975

Body: House

District: 31B

Elected: 11/5/1974

Residence: Austin

Term of Office: 1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
Oath Date: 1/7/1975

Counties Represented: Mower

Occupation: Meat Cutter, Hormel Plant

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Environment and Natural Resources
Governmental Operations
Local and Urban Affairs

OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About

Hackensmith, Jenae. "Leo Reding Leaves a Legacy of Good Politics and Family." Austin Daily Herald, October 22, 2015.
Carlson, Heather J. "Friends and Family Remember a 'Classic Public Servant'." Rochester Post-Bulletin, October 16, 2015.
"Reding, Leo John." Star Tribune, October 15, 2015.
"Leo John Reding, 91 (Obituary)." Austin Daily Herald, October 14, 2015.
Walker, Tim. "Living in Technicolor Legislator' Announces Retirement." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, March 18, 1994, p. 26.

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.

Photographs

Portrait of Leo John Reding. c. 1991. Photo credit: Minnesota House of Representatives.

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, 321 State Capitol, Saint Paul, MN 55155