Larry W. Haws (January 12, 1940 – March 27, 2012) was a

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

politician and 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 ...

who represented District 15B, which includes portions of Benton, Sherburne and Stearns counties in the north central part of the state. 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 was also a director of parks and recreation for the city of St. Cloud, and a teacher and coach. On May 17, 2010, he announced that he would not seek a fourth term.

Biography

Education and professional background

Born in the southwestern Minnesota town of Tracy, Haws graduated from Loyola High School in

Mankato Mankato ( ) is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The population was 44,488 at the 2020 census, making it the 21st-largest city in Mi ...

, then went on to

St. Cloud State University St. Cloud State University (SCSU) is a public university in St. Cloud, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1869, the university is one of the largest institutions in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. In the fall of 2023, it ...

in St. Cloud, receiving his B.E.S. in Recreation and Biology. He also attended

Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU, MSU, or Minnesota State) is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. It is Minnesota's second-largest university and has over 145,000 living alumni worldwide. Founded in 1868, it is t ...

, earning his B.S. in Mathematics and Physical Education. He taught at Cathedral High School in St. Cloud before joining that city's park and recreation department, where he worked for 32 years.

Legislative service

Haws was first elected to the House in a December 2005 special election held after seven-term Rep. Joe Opatz resigned to become interim president of

Central Lakes College Central Lakes College is a public community college with campuses in Brainerd and Staples, Minnesota. It is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. The college was formed from the merger of three different colleges: Braine ...

in Brainerd. He was re-elected in 2006 and 2008. He was a member of the House Finance subcommittees for the Bioscience and Workforce Development Policy and Oversight Division, the Cultural and Outdoor Resources Finance Division, the Higher Education and Workforce Development Finance and Policy Division, and the Public Safety Finance Division.

Community service and leadership

Through the years, Haws was active in his local community and in local government. He was elected to the Stearns County Board of Commissioners in 1998, serving from 1999 until 2006, when he was elected to the House. He was a delegate to the Association of Minnesota Counties, a Stearns County liaison to the

NorthStar Corridor The Northstar Line is a commuter rail route in the US state of Minnesota. Northstar runs from Big Lake to downtown Minneapolis at Target Field using existing track and right-of-way owned by the BNSF Railway. Passenger service began on Novem ...

light rail project, a board member of Stearns County Human Services, and a board member of the Central Minnesota Mental Health Center and Foundation. He was a member of the Central Minnesota Council on Aging, a member of the Task Force for Regional Human Rights Committee of the Great River Interfaith Partnership, and a member of the Stearns County Historical Society. Among other community services, Haws was a member of the Citizen Advisory Committee on Finance for School District 742, a board member of the Minnesota-

North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer's Association is a nonprofit voluntary health organization that focuses on Alzheimer's disease care, support and research. History Jerome H. Stone founded the Alzheimer's Association with the help of several family support groups ...

, a member of the

American Association of Retired Persons AARP, formerly the American Association of Retired Persons, is an interest group in the United States focusing on issues affecting those 50 and older. The organization, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C., said it had more than 38 mi ...

, a member of the Veterans Affairs Housing Project, a board member of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, and a board member of the Saint Cloud

Kiwanis Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. In 1987, the organization ...

. He was also involved in the restoration of Bard Park, the oldest park in St. Cloud, and served on the Bard Park Historical Preservation Committee.

Later years

Haws was diagnosed with

brain cancer A brain tumor (sometimes referred to as brain cancer) occurs when a group of cells within the brain turn cancerous and grow out of control, creating a mass. There are two main types of tumors: malignant (cancerous) tumors and benign (non-cance ...

in January 2011. He died on March 27, 2012.

References

External links

Rep. Haws Web Page

Project Votesmart - Rep. Larry Haws Profile

Minnesota Public Radio Votetracker: Rep. Larry Haws

Larry Haws Campaign Web Site
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Haws, Larry 1940 births 2012 deaths Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Politicians from St. Cloud, Minnesota St. Cloud State University alumni Minnesota State University, Mankato alumni People from Tracy, Minnesota Schoolteachers from Minnesota 21st-century members of the Minnesota Legislature