Robert Rankin Dunlap (July 25, 1915 – February 15, 1992) was an American lawyer and politician. Dunlap was born in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...

on July 25, 1915. He graduated from

Saint Paul Central High School Saint Paul Central High School is the oldest continuously operating high school in the state of Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1866 in downtown Saint Paul, Central has educated many leaders in business, government, literature, arts, scienc ...

. His father, Roy Dunlap Sr., was the managing editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Dispatch newspaper for 35 years; his brother, Roy Jr., also became the newspaper's managing editor. Dunlap received his law degree from the

University of Minnesota Law School The University of Minnesota Law School is the law school of the University of Minnesota, a public university in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The school confers four law degrees: a Juris Doctor (J.D.), a Master of Laws (LL.M.), a Master of Science in Pa ...

in 1941. Dunlap 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 ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, reaching the rank of captain. After the war, he lived in the small town of Plainview in Wabasha County, Minnesota with his wife, Jane, where he practiced law. He also served as the Wabasha County Attorney from 1950 to 1952. Dunlap was elected to five terms as a Republican 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 ...

from 1953 to 1967. In 1964, Dunlap moved to

Rochester, Minnesota Rochester is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. It is located along rolling bluffs on the Zumbro River's south fork in Southeast Minnesota. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a popul ...

with his wife and family and continued to practice law. In 1973, he formed a law firm, Dunlap, Keith, Finseth, Berndt and Sandberg, with future

Minnesota Supreme Court The Minnesota Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The court hears cases in the Supreme Court chamber in the Minnesota State Capitol or in the nearby Minnesota Judicial Center. History The court was first assemb ...

chief justice Sandy Keith. Dunlap died from a heart attack in Rochester, Minnesota at age 76.'Robert Dunlap, attorney and former state senator, dies at 76,' Minneapolis Star Tribune (Minnesota), February 16, 1992 Dunlap and his wife had five children. Dunlap's son Bob "Slim" Dunlap was a guitarist best known for being a member of alternative-rock group The Replacements.

References

1915 births 1992 deaths University of Minnesota Law School alumni Military personnel from Minnesota Minnesota lawyers Politicians from Rochester, Minnesota Politicians from Saint Paul, Minnesota People from Plainview, Minnesota Republican Party Minnesota state senators Saint Paul Central High School alumni 20th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature {{Minnesota-MNSenate-stub