Senate 1971-72 (District 65); Senate 1973-87 (District 4)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Counties Served:
Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, Mahnomen, Morrison, Wadena
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
10/31/1934
Birth Place:
Duluth, Minnesota
Birth County:
St. Louis
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
9/10/2017
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
Jerry
City of Residence (when first elected):
Park Rapids
Occupation (when first elected):
Furniture Business Owner
EDUCATION
Laporte High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1952
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Military:
United States Air Force Auxiliary Civil Air Patrol, Minnesota (Eagles);
19?? to 19??
State Agency:
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (Commissioner, Appointed by Governor Rudy Perpich);
11/15/1987 to 1991
[Appointed]
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Anita Ware (married on May 2, 1955)
Children:
Four children: Nedra, Noel, Neil, and Nona
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
Special Legislative Concerns: finance, agriculture, natural resources, small business.
"Among his most important legislative accomplishments are the Payment in Lieu of Tax bill of 1979, The Acid Rain Deposition Act of 1982, and the Clean Water Partnership Act of 1987. He was also very active in legislation that created The Heartland Trail and established the Good Samaritan Act." (Bemidji Pioneer obit).
"In October of 1986, Governor Rudy Perpich made a proclamation of Senator Jerry Willet day in Minnesota." (Bemidji Pioneer obit).
He was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.
He was a member of the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources for 12 years.
"Jerry became known as 'The People's Senator.'" (Bemidji Pioneer obit).
He was a member of St. Peter's Catholic Church.
Religion provided by the MN Legislative Manual, 1975-76.