Forsythe, Mary M.
House 1973-82 (District 39A); House 1983-90 (District 42B)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Counties Served:
Hennepin
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
5/23/1920
Birth Place:
Whitehall, Wisconsin
Birth County:
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
9/6/2007
Gender:
Female
Religion:
Lutheran
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
Former Name: MacCornack
City of Residence (when first elected):
Edina
Occupation (when first elected):
Homemaker/Former Music Teacher; Elementary and High School, Wisconsin
EDUCATION
Whitehall High School, Wisconsin; Secondary;
St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota; B.A.; Music, 1942
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Commission on the Future;
19?? to 19??
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Commission on Economic Status of Women;
19?? to 19??
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Robert Ames Forsythe Sr. (married in 1942, he was a Hennepin County District Court Judge, he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1966 and for Attorney General in 1970, he died in June 2007)
Children:
Five children: Robert Ames Jr. (son); Pauline "Polly", Jean, Ann, and Joan (daughters)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
She was a member of the Republican Party.
She was a member of the St. Olaf Choir while attending St. Olaf College.
She was a Girl Scout Leader.
She was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975 and the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1987-88.
Body:
House
District:
42B
Elected:
11/8/1988
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/2/1989 to 1/6/1991
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Legislator/Homemaker
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health and Human Services Division
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Tourism
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Civil Law
-
Judiciary: Facilities Assessment
-
Ways and Means
Body:
House
District:
42B
Elected:
11/4/1986
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/5/1987 to 1/1/1989
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Homemaker
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health and Human Services Division
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Tourism
-
Higher Education
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Civil Law
-
Ways and Means
Body:
House
District:
42B
Elected:
11/6/1984
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/7/1985 to 1/4/1987
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Homemaker
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Appropriations (Chair)
-
Appropriations: Agriculture, Transportation and Semi-States Division
-
Appropriations: Education Division
-
Appropriations: Human Services Division
-
Appropriations: State Departments Division
-
Budget
-
Judiciary
Body:
House
District:
42B
Elected:
11/2/1982
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/3/1983 to 1/6/1985
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Homemaker/Legislator
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health, Welfare, and Corrections Division
-
Commerce and Economic Development
-
Commerce and Economic Development: Economic Development
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Law Reform
Body:
House
District:
39A
Elected:
11/4/1980
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/5/1981 to 1/2/1983
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Homemaker/Music
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health, Welfare and Corrections Division
-
Commerce and Economic Development
-
Commerce and Economic Development: Economic Development
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Law Reform
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Leadership Position:
Assistant Minority Leader
Body:
House
District:
39A
Elected:
11/7/1978
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/1/1979 to 1/4/1981
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Homemaker/Legislator
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health, Welfare and Corrections Division (Chair)
[She was the Chair in 1979 only.]
-
Commerce, Economic Development and Housing
-
Commerce, Economic Development and Housing: Business and Job Development
-
Judiciary
-
Judiciary: Judiciary Law Reform
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Body:
House
District:
39A
Elected:
11/2/1976
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/3/1977 to 12/31/1978
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Homemaker/Legislator
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health, Welfare and Corrections Division
-
Health and Welfare
-
Labor-Management Relations
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Body:
House
District:
39A
Elected:
11/5/1974
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/6/1975 to 1/2/1977
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Homemaker/Former Teacher
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health, Welfare and Corrections Division
-
Crime Prevention and Corrections
-
Deinstitutionalization
-
Health and Welfare
Body:
House
District:
39A
Elected:
11/7/1972
Residence:
Edina
Term of Office:
1/1/1973 to 1/5/1975
Counties Represented:
Hennepin
Occupation:
Homemaker/Former Music Teacher; Elementary and High School, Wisconsin
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
-
Appropriations
-
Appropriations: Health, Welfare, and Corrections Division
-
Crime Prevention and Corrections
-
Health and Welfare
-
Labor-Management Relations
Articles & Books About
-
Cohen, Ben. "Mary Forsythe, a Pioneer in State House." StarTribune, September 16, 2007, p. B6.
-
"Forsythe, Mary M. (Obituary)." Star Tribune, September 11, 2007, p. B6.
-
Wood, Nicole. "Forsythe Spends Winters in Arizona; Remembers Seat Belt Law with Pride." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, April 10, 1998, p. 4, 18.
-
Durenberger, David. "Tribute to Mary MacCornack Forsythe." Congressional Record, October 19, 1990, p. S16277-S16278.
-
"Forsythe Farewell." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, March 23, 1990.
-
Mary M. Forsythe Profile, 1973?
Articles & Books By
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.
Archive Collections
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.