Minnesota Legislature

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

Otremba, Mary Ellen

Sessions Served

Other Information

House 1997-2010 (District 11B)

Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served: Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 9/26/1950

Birth Place: Bertha, Minnesota

Birth County: Todd

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death: 7/16/2014

Gender: Female

Religion: Catholic

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

Former Name: Mary Ellen Dinkel

City of Residence (when first elected): Long Prairie

Occupation (when first elected): Teacher, Family and Consumer Science, Swanville High School

EDUCATION

Long Prairie High School; Secondary;
College of St. Benedict; B.A.; Home and Community Service
St. Cloud State University; M.A.; Child and Family Studies

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Ken (before she served); Widow (while in office)
Children: Four children: Andrew, Timothy, Kateri, and Elizabeth
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
Ken Otremba - Husband
Steve Dehler - Cousin-in-Law

GENERAL NOTES

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009.

Her funeral was held at St. Mary of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Long Prairie, Minnesota.

Religion provided by the Natural Resources Defense Council's State Directories 2005 and Politics in Minnesota the Directory, 2005-2006.

Click to view

Total Days Served: 4799

SESSIONS SERVED

86th Legislative Session (2009-2010)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/6/2009

Body: House

District: 11B

Elected: 11/4/2008

Residence: Long Prairie

Term of Office: 1/5/2009 to 1/2/2011
Oath Date: 1/6/2009

Counties Represented: Douglas, Todd

Occupation: Substitute Teacher/Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs (Chair) Minutes
Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs: Veterans Affairs Division Minutes
Finance: Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Finance Division Minutes
Finance: Health Care and Human Services Finance Division Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

Click to view

85th Legislative Session (2007-2008)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/2007

Body: House

District: 11B

Elected: 11/7/2006

Residence: Long Prairie

Term of Office: 1/1/2007 to 1/4/2009
Oath Date: 1/3/2007

Counties Represented: Douglas, Todd

Occupation: Substitute Teacher/Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs (Chair) Minutes
Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs: Veterans Affairs Division Minutes - Ex Officio Member
Finance Minutes
Finance: Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Finance Division Minutes
Finance: Health Care and Human Services Finance Division Minutes
Health and Human Services Minutes
Health and Human Services: Mental Health Division Minutes

Click to view

84th Legislative Session (2005-2006)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/4/2005

Body: House

District: 11B

Elected: 11/2/2004

Residence: Long Prairie

Term of Office: 1/3/2005 to 12/31/2006
Oath Date: 1/4/2005

Counties Represented: Douglas, Todd

Occupation: Substitute Teacher/Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2005 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development Minutes
Health Policy and Finance Minutes
Health Policy and Finance: Health Care Cost Containment Division Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

Click to view

83rd Legislative Session (2003-2004)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/2003

Body: House

District: 11B

Elected: 11/5/2002

Residence: Long Prairie

Term of Office: 1/6/2003 to 1/2/2005
Oath Date: 1/7/2003

Counties Represented: Douglas, Todd

Occupation: Teacher/Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2003 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture Policy Minutes
Health and Human Services Finance Minutes
Health and Human Services Policy Minutes

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

Click to view

82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/3/2001

Body: House

District: 11B

Elected: 11/7/2000

Residence: Long Prairie

Term of Office: 1/1/2001 to 1/5/2003
Oath Date: 1/3/2001

Counties Represented: Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena

Occupation: Teacher/Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Special Session Bills Authored: 2001 1st Sp.S. - Chief Author 2001 1st Sp.S. - Author

Committees:

Agriculture and Rural Development Policy Minutes
Health and Human Services Finance Minutes
Health and Human Services Policy Minutes
Ways and Means Minutes

Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

Click to view

81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/5/1999

Body: House

District: 11B

Elected: 11/3/1998

Residence: Long Prairie

Term of Office: 1/4/1999 to 12/31/2000
Oath Date: 1/5/1999

Counties Represented: Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena

Occupation: Teacher/Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture Policy Minutes
Education Policy Minutes
Health and Human Services Finance Minutes
Health and Human Services Policy Minutes

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

Session Details Convened Date: 1/7/1997

Body: House

District: 11B

Elected: 11/4/1997

Residence: Long Prairie

Term of Office: 11/13/1997 to 1/3/1999 (Special Election)
Oath Date: 11/13/1997

Counties Represented: Douglas, Otter Tail, Stearns, Todd, Wadena

Occupation: Teacher, Family and Consumer Science, Swanville High School

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Bills Authored: Chief Author Author

Committees:

Agriculture Minutes
Education Minutes
Health and Human Services Minutes
Health and Human Services: Health and Human Services Finance Division Minutes

Session Notes: She won the seat held by her husband, Ken Otremba, before his death in September 1997. She was sworn in on the third day of the third special session on November 13, 1997.

OTHER INFORMATION

Articles & Books About

Brown, Jason C. "Todd County Loses True Advocate." Long Prairie Leader, July 18, 2014.
Kimball, Joe. "Mary Ellen Otremba, Who Served 13 Years in the Minnesota House, Died Thursday at 63." MinnPost, July 18, 2014.
Edenloff, Al. "Mary Ellen Otremba, Long-Time Legislator, Passes Away." Alexandria Echo Press, July 17, 2014
Sommerhauser, Mark. "Former Lawmaker Mary Ellen Otremba Remembered for Common Touch." St. Cloud Times, July 17, 2014.
Radomski, Lauren. "Agriculture Advocate Bids Adieu." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, June 1, 2010, p. 43.
Donovan, Sandra. "Otremba Wins House Seat in November Special Election." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, January 23, 1998, p. 16.
Edenloff, Al. "Ex-Lawmaker Remembered for Her Dedication to Public Service." Pioneer Press, July 20, 2014.

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.

District News Files

2000 (11B)

2001 (11B)

2002 (11B)

2003 (11B)

2004 (11B)

2005 (11B)

2006 (11B)

2007 (11B)

2008 (11B)

2009 (11B)

These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

Legislators Past & Present Home

Name Search:

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