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Knaak, Delores J. "Dee"

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: 1124

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 1/5/1981 (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 1/5/1981 (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.
Articles & Books About
"Delores J. 'Dee' (McComber) Knaak." Star Tribune, March 8, 2020, P. B10.

"Knaak (McComber) Delores J. 'Dee'." Pioneer Press, March 8, 2020, p. B7.

Macklin, Bill. "Women Gaining in Legislature." New Ulm Journal, January 22, 1978, p. 4.


These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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