Jerome Richard "Dick, Jerry" Dempsey (April 21, 1933 – January 14, 2015) was an American businessman, educator, and politician.

Career

Born in

Henderson, Minnesota Henderson is a town in Sibley County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 960 at the 2020 census. History Henderson was founded in August 1852 by Joseph R. Brown, and was named for his mother's maiden name. By 1855, Henderson had ...

, Dempsey served in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

from 1955 to 1957. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of St. Thomas, his master's degree from the

University of Wisconsin–River Falls The University of Wisconsin–River Falls (UW–River Falls or UWRF) is a public university in River Falls, Wisconsin, United States. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System. The campus is situated on the Kinnickinnic River in the ...

, and his Specialist Degree in Education Administration from

Winona State University Winona State University is a public university in Winona, Minnesota, United States. It was founded as First State Normal School of Minnesota in 1858 and is the oldest member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. It was the fi ...

. He began his teaching career teaching social studies at Goodhue High School,

Goodhue, Minnesota Goodhue is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,176 at the 2010 census. History Goodhue was incorporated in 1889. Goodhue formerly had a rail line running through the eastern edge of the incorporated are ...

, in 1959 and at Hastings High School,

Hastings, Minnesota Hastings ( ) is a city mostly in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota, of which it is the county seat, with a portion in Washington County, Minnesota, Washington County, Minnesota, United States. It is near the confluence of the M ...

, from 1960 to 1973. In 1974, Dempsey served as an assistant principal at Hastings Junior High School (later renamed Hastings Middle School) until his retirement from education in 1993. He was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1992 and served seven terms, from 1993 until 2006. He was a member of the Republican Party. His brother

Terry Dempsey Terence M. Dempsey (February 17, 1932 – September 2, 2023) was an American politician who was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives who represented the old House districts 23A and 28B, which included all or portions of Brown, Cot ...

also served in the Minnesota Legislature from 1979 to 1992. Dempsey was also in the banking business and served on the board of directors for First Federal Bank.

Death

Dempsey died on January 14, 2015, in Hastings, Minnesota, where he had lived since 1960.Minnesota Legislators Past and Present-Jerry Dempsey
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Notes

1933 births 2015 deaths People from Hastings, Minnesota People from Henderson, Minnesota University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) alumni University of Wisconsin–River Falls alumni Winona State University alumni Educators from Minnesota Businesspeople from Minnesota Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives 20th-century American businesspeople 21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature {{Minnesota-MNRepresentative-Republican-stub