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    Olsen, Rosalia "Sally"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1979-82 (District 41A); House 1983-92 (District 44A)

    Party when first elected:  Independent Republican

    Counties Served:  Hennepin

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 10/30/1934
    Birth Place: ,
    Birth County:
    Birth Country:
    Date of Death: 1/24/2022
    Gender: Female
    Religion:
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: Sally
    City of Residence (when first elected): Saint Louis Park
    Occupation (when first elected): Office Manager, Edina Electric Company

    EDUCATION

    Metropolitan State University; B.A.; Business
    University of Minnesota; B.B.A.;
    Hamline University School of Law; J.D.;

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Governor's Statewide Advisory Council on Community Education; 19?? to 19??
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Council on the Economic Status of Women; 19?? to 19??
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Education Council; 19?? to 19??
    School Board/Administration: St. Louis Park, Minnesota (School Board Member, 9 years); 19?? to 19??
    School Board/Administration: St. Louis Park, Minnesota (School Board, 8 years); 19?? to 19??
    State Board/Commission/Council: Minnesota Legislative Audit Commission (Co-Chair); 1989 to 199?
    Judge: Minnesota Workers Compensation Court of Appeals; 1992 to ? [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Vernon "Vern"
    Children: Three children: Richard, Roxanne, and Susan
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    She ran unsuccessfully for the Independent Republican party endorsement for the United States House of Representatives in the 1990 election.

    Her funeral was held on February 1, 2022 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Edina. She was buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

    Most recent term photo
    Click to view
    Total Days Served: 4874

    SESSIONS SERVED

    77th Legislative Session (1991-1992)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 44A
    Elected: 11/6/1990
    Residence: Saint Louis Park
    Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 5/7/1992 (unfinished term)
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney/Arbitrator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Redistricting
    • Regulated Industries
    • Rules and Legislative Administration
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Property Tax
    Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader
    Leadership Notes: She resigned from the Minnesota Legislature on May 7, 1992.
    Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office
    Session Notes: She was appointed as a Minnesota Workers' Compensation Court of Appeals Judge.
    term photo
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    76th Legislative Session (1989-1990)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 44A
    Elected: 11/8/1988
    Residence: Saint Louis Park
    Term of Office: 1/3/1989 to 1/7/1991
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney/Arbitrator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Financial Institutions and Housing
    • Financial Institutions and Housing: Banking
    • Financial Institutions and Housing: Housing Division
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs
    • Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs: Metro Affairs
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Tax Laws

    75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 44A
    Elected: 11/4/1986
    Residence: Saint Louis Park
    Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/2/1989
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney/Arbitrator
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Education Finance Division
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance: Insurance
    • Regulated Industries
    • Ways and Means

    74th Legislative Session (1985-1986)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 44A
    Elected: 11/6/1984
    Residence: Saint Louis Park
    Term of Office: 1/8/1985 to 1/5/1987
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Budget
    • Education
    • Education: Education Finance Division (Chair)
    • Financial Institutions and Insurance
    • Taxes
    term photo
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    73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 44A
    Elected: 11/2/1982
    Residence: Saint Louis Park
    Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/7/1985
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Education Finance Division
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Elections
    • Health and Welfare
    • Health and Welfare: Departmental Affairs

    72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 41A
    Elected: 11/4/1980
    Residence: Saint Louis Park
    Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Businesswoman; Office Manager
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Education
    • Education: Discipline
    • Education: School Aids Division
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Housing
    • Taxes
    • Taxes: Mineral Taxation
    • Taxes: Revenue Division
    term photo
    Click to view

    71st Legislative Session (1979-1980)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 41A
    Elected: 11/7/1978
    Residence: Saint Louis Park
    Term of Office: 1/3/1979 to 1/5/1981
    Counties Represented: Hennepin
    Occupation: Office Manager, Edina Electric Company
    Party: Independent Republican
    Committees:
    • Commerce, Economic Development and Housing
    • Commerce, Economic Development and Housing: Business and Job Development
    • Education
    • Education: School Aids Division
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs
    • General Legislation and Veterans Affairs: Elections and Campaign Practices

    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    "Olsen, Rosalia W. "Sally" (Van Dyke) (obituary)". Star Tribune, January 30, 2022.

    "Olsen Eyes Frenzel's U.S. House Seat." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, April 20, 1990, p. 20.


    Archive Collections
    Sally Olsen: An Inventory of Her Papers at the Minnesota Historical Society, 1979-1992 - Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections.
    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.

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