Wendell Oliver Erickson (June 17, 1925 – August 8, 2018) was an American politician who was 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 southwestern Minnesota.

Service in the Minnesota House

First elected in 1964, Erickson was re-elected every two years until 1986. A Republican, he represented the old Districts 19B and 26B and, later, 27B, which included all or portions of

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the 16th president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincoln (na ...

Lyon Lyon (Franco-Provençal: ''Liyon'') is a city in France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of the French Alps, southeast of Paris, north of Marseille, southwest of Geneva, Switzerland, north ...

Murray Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American bicycle manufacturer * Murray Motor Car Company, an American car manufacturer * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trus ...

Nobles Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

, Pipestone and

Rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

counties, changing somewhat through

redistricting Redistricting in the United States is the process of drawing electoral district boundaries. For the United States House of Representatives, and state legislatures, redistricting occurs after each ten-year census. The U.S. Constitution in Art ...

in 1970 and 1980. While in the

legislature A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial power ...

, Erickson earned a reputation as a leader on issues relevant to education and agriculture. He allied with the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

Caucus A caucus is a group or meeting of supporters or members of a specific political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries and political cultures. The term originated in the United States, where it can refer to ...

at a time when the legislature was still officially

nonpartisan Nonpartisan or non-partisan may refer to: __NOTOC__ General political concepts * Nonpartisanship, also known as Nonpartisanism, co-operation without reference to political parties * Non-partisan democracy, an election with no official recognition ...

, and later identified as a Republican when party affiliation became required of candidates. Erickson served on the House Agriculture, Appropriations, Budget, Commerce, Education & Higher Education, Environmental Preservation, Judiciary, Labor Relations, Rules & Legislative Administration and Transportation committees, and on various other committee incarnations and subcommittees during his 22 years in office. He was chair of the House Education Committee during his final term in office, having also served previously as chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Education in 1979. Erickson was, along with senators

Dennis Frederickson Dennis R. Frederickson (born July 27, 1939) is a Republican politician from Minnesota and a former Minnesota State Senator. He was first elected in 1980 when he ran for the seat being vacated by Senator Carl Jensen, who was appointed to the ...

, Earl Renneke and

Jim Vickerman James Murray Vickerman (May 1, 1931 – January 19, 2021) was an American politician from Minnesota who served as Minnesota Senate, Minnesota State Senator, first elected in 1986 in the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's "firestorm" that s ...

, and representatives Aubrey Dirlam,

Henry Kalis Henry Joseph Kalis (March 2, 1937 – September 12, 2018) was an American politician who was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, representing southern Minnesota. First elected in 1974, Kalis was reelected every two years until he ...

and

Gilbert Esau Gilbert Donald Esau (October 31, 1919 – July 16, 2012) was a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from southwestern Minnesota. First elected in 1962, Esau was re-elected in 1964, 1966 and 1968. After sittin ...

, one of the longest-serving legislators from southern Minnesota in the state's history. He was unseated by Andy Steensma in the wave of Democratic victories that swept southwestern

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 ...

in the DFL Party's "Firestorm" of 1986.

State appointment and Extension Service award

In 1968, Erickson was appointed to the Minnesota Education Council by Governor Harold LeVander, serving for several years. In 1981, he was awarded the University of Minnesota Extension Service's Dean and Director's Distinguished Friend of Extension Award for "superior contributions as a legislative leader in helping others understand the need for strong agricultural support."

World War II and community service

Erickson was born in

Stanchfield, Minnesota Stanchfield is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Stanchfield Township, Isanti County, Minnesota, United States. As of the 2020 census, its population was 103. Isanti County Roads 3 and 36; and State Highway 65 ( ...

, and was raised on the family farm. He graduated from Braham High School, in

Braham, Minnesota Braham is a city in Isanti and Kanabec counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 1,769 at the 2020 census. Braham is 12 miles north of Cambridge, 15 miles southwest of Pine City, 16 miles south-southeast of Mora, and 12 m ...

. From the city of

Hills A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a distinct summit, and is usually applied to peaks which are above elevation compared to the relative landmass, though not as prominent as mountains. Hills fall und ...

, Erickson was a

farm management Agricultural science (or agriscience for short) is a broad multidisciplinary field of biology that encompasses the parts of exact, natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. Professiona ...

instructor and vocational

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

teacher. He 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 ...

Infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

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 ...

, being deployed in the Asiatic theatre for two years. Prior to being elected to the legislature, he taught agriculture at Hills-Beaver Creek High School for 17 years. He also taught seventh- and eighth-grade industrial arts and young farmers classes, and was a longtime member of the Rock County Fair Board. He was in active retirement and was involved in his local community. Erickson served as grand marshal of the 125th Hills Celebration Parade in June 2015, after which a celebration was also held marking his 90th birthday.

Death

Erickson died at the age of 93 on August 8, 2018, at Avera McKennan Hospital in

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls ( ) is the List of cities in South Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the List of United States cities by population, 117th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha Coun ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Erickson, Wendell 1925 births 2018 deaths Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Military personnel from Minnesota People from Isanti County, Minnesota People from Rock County, Minnesota University of Minnesota alumni United States Army personnel of World War II 20th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature