Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature
Skip Navigation Links
  • LRL Home
    • >
  • Legislators Past & Present
    • >
  • Member Record
    • Legislators Past & Present Home

    McMillan, Helen E.

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1963-66 (District 5); House 1967-72 (District 5A); House 1973-74 (District 31B)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

    Counties Served:  Mower

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 7/6/1909
    Birth Place: Ortonville, Minnesota
    Birth County: Big Stone
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 1/29/1984
    Gender: Female
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names:
    Former Name: Davis
    City of Residence (when first elected): Austin
    Occupation (when first elected): Housewife

    EDUCATION

    Minneapolis Public Schools; Elementary School;
    Marshall High School, Minneapolis; Secondary; Graduate
    University of Minnesota; Attended College;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Governor's Human Rights Commission (Secretary); 19?? to 19??

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Kenneth McMillan (married in 1938; he was a Municipal Judge; he died in 1970, while she was still in office); Widow
    Children: No children
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    She moved to Austin, Minnesota in 1945.

    She was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. (Minneapolis Star, May 15, 1974; and Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women)

    "She was a DFLer." (Obituary, Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 30, 1984).

    She was the second woman to chair a legislative committee in Minnesota history (MNopedia).

    Mower County named March 18, 1975, "Helen E. McMillan Recognition Day." She was awarded a plaque by Governor Wendell Anderson at a dinner held in her honor that day (MNopedia).

    She had been President of the Minnesota League of Women Voters.

    She died at St. Mark's Lutheran Home in Austin, Minnesota. Her funeral was held at St. Mark's Lutheran Home in Austin, Minnesota.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 4382

    SESSIONS SERVED

    68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/2/1973
    Body: House
    District: 31B
    Elected: 11/7/1972
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/1/1973 to 1/5/1975
    Oath Date: 1/2/1973
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: None Listed
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. (Minneapolis Star, May 15, 1974; and Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women). "She was a DFLer." (Obituary, Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 30, 1984)
    Committees:
    • Crime Prevention and Corrections (Chair)
    • Health and Welfare
    • Higher Education
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    term photo
    Click to view

    67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1971
    Body: House
    District: 05A
    Elected: 11/3/1970
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/4/1971 to 12/31/1972
    Oath Date: 1/5/1971
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: None Listed
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women). "She was a DFLer." (Obituary, Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 30, 1984)
    Committees:
    • Crime Prevention
    • Environmental Preservation
    • Governmental Operations
    • Health, Welfare and Corrections
    • Higher Education

    66th Legislative Session (1969-1970)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/7/1969
    Body: House
    District: 05A
    Elected: 11/5/1968
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/6/1969 to 1/3/1971
    Oath Date: 1/7/1969
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Housewife
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women). "She was a DFLer." (Obituary, Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 30, 1984)
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Cities of the Second and Third Class
    • Employee Compensation and Retirements
    • Health and Welfare
    • Land and Water Resources
    term photo
    Click to view

    65th Legislative Session (1967-1968)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/3/1967
    Body: House
    District: 05A
    Elected: 11/8/1966
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/2/1967 to 1/5/1969
    Oath Date: 1/3/1967
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Housewife
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women). "She was a DFLer." (Obituary, Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 30, 1984)
    Committees:
    • Appropriations
    • Cities of the Second and Third Class
    • Employees Compensation
    • Government Employee Security
    • Health and Welfare
    • Recreation and Water Resources

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/5/1965
    Body: House
    District: 05
    Elected: 11/3/1964
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/4/1965 to 1/1/1967
    Oath Date: 1/5/1965
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Housewife
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women). "She was a DFLer." (Obituary, Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 30, 1984)
    Committees:
    • Employees Compensation
    • Financial Institutions and Securities
    • Game and Fish
    • Health and Welfare
    • Municipal Affairs
    • Reapportionment

    63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

      Session Details   Convened Date: 1/8/1963
    Body: House
    District: 05
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Austin
    Term of Office: 1/7/1963 to 1/3/1965
    Oath Date: 1/8/1963
    Counties Represented: Mower
    Occupation: Housewife
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: She was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. (Minnesota Legislative Commission on the Economic Status of Women). "She was a DFLer." (Obituary, Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 30, 1984)
    Committees:
    • Employees Compensation
    • Financial Institutions and Securities
    • Game and Fish
    • Health and Welfare
    • Municipal Affairs
    term photo
    Click to view

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About

    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.

    Legislators Past & Present Home