Calvin R. Larson (August 10, 1930 – April 1, 2024) was an American politician who served as a member of the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

from 1967 to 1974 and

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 ...

from 1987 to 2006.

Early life and education

Born in

Glyndon, Minnesota Glyndon ( ) is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,306 as of the 2020 census. History Glyndon was platted in 1872 when the railroad was extended to that point. A post office has been in operation in Glyndon s ...

, Larson graduated from Badger High School in 1948 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia College. Larson then served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during the

Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...

Career

Larson was first elected to the

in 1967, with a Nonpartisan Election–Conservative Caucus party affiliation. He served district 55 for three terms, ending in 1972. He continued in the House from 1973 to 1974 representing district 11A. Following an absence from the state legislature from 1975 to 1986, Larson was elected as State Senator for district 10 in 1986, as an Independent Republican. He continued to fill this seat in the Senate until 2006, but by the 1996 election had changed his party affiliation to Republican.

Personal life

Larson resided in

Fergus Falls, Minnesota Fergus Falls ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,119 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and was estimated to be 14,258 in 2024. Hi ...

, with his wife, Loretta. They have two children. Larson was a

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

. Larson died on April 1, 2024, in

Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Detroit Lakes is a city and the county seat of Becker County, Minnesota, Becker County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,869 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Its unofficial population during summer months is much hi ...

, at the age of 93.

Electoral history

2006 Minnesota State Senate District 10 *Cal Larson (R), 14191 votes, 44.71% * Dan Skogen (DFL), 17530 votes, 55.23% *Write-In, 18 votes, 0.06% 2002 Minnesota State Senate District 10 *Cal Larson (R), 19357 votes, 59.57% * Karl L. Hanson (DFL), 13111 votes, 40.35% *Write-In, 24 votes, 0.07%

References

, - , - 1930 births 2024 deaths People from Clay County, Minnesota Military personnel from Minnesota American Lutherans Members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Minnesota independents Minnesota Republicans Minnesota state senators People from Fergus Falls, Minnesota Concordia College (Moorhead, Minnesota) alumni 21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature {{Minnesota-MNSenate-stub