Anthony J. "A. J." Perpich (February 10, 1932 – January 28, 2017) was an American dentist and politician. Born in Carson Lake, Minnesota, Perpich graduated from Hibbing High School in 1949. He served in the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...

. In 1951, Perpich graduated from

Hibbing Community College Hibbing is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 16,214 at the 2020 census. The city was built on mining the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range and still relies on that industry today. At the edge of t ...

. Then in 1955, Perpich received his degree in dentistry from

Marquette University Marquette University () is a Private university, private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was established as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, by John Henni, the first Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Ar ...

. He was a dentist in

Eveleth, Minnesota Eveleth is a city in St. Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,493 at the 2020 census. Eveleth is part of the Quad Cities, with Virginia, Gilbert, and Mountain Iron. U.S. Highway 53 and State Highway 37 (MN 37) are ...

. From 1967 to 1976, Perpich served in the

Minnesota Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Minnesota Legislature, Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any State legislature (Unite ...

and was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

. He also served as a commissioner in the Minnesota Department of Energy and Economic Development and in the Minnesota Department of Public Service. His brothers George F. Perpich and

Rudy Perpich Rudolph George Perpich Sr. (born Rudolph George Prpić; June 27, 1928 September 21, 1995) was an American politician who served as the governor of Minnesota from 1976 to 1979 and again from 1983 to 1991. A member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor ...

also served in the Minnesota Senate. His brother Joseph Perpich is married to Cathy Sulzberger, daughter of

Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Sr. (February 5, 1926 – September 29, 2012) was an American publisher and a businessman. Born into a prominent media and publishing family, Sulzberger became publisher of ''The New York Times'' in 1963 and chairman of t ...

. Perpich died at his home in

Shoreview, Minnesota Shoreview is a city in Ramsey County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 26,921 at the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area. Geography According to the United ...

.'Obituary: Tony Perpich, state senator and one of a famous trio,' Minneapolis Star Tribune, Jennifer Bjorhus, January 31, 2017

Notes

1932 births 2017 deaths Politicians from Hibbing, Minnesota Military personnel from Minnesota Marquette University alumni Democratic Party Minnesota state senators People from Eveleth, Minnesota People from Shorewood, Minnesota 20th-century American dentists 20th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature {{Minnesota-MNSenate-stub