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Luther, Darlene Joyce

House 1993-2002 (District 47A)

Party when first elected:  Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Counties Served:  Hennepin

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 8/17/1947
Birth Place: Cloquet, Minnesota
Birth County: Carlton
Birth Country: United States
Date of Death: 1/30/2002
Gender: Female
Religion: Catholic
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected): Brooklyn Park
Occupation (when first elected): Business Consultant/Homemaker/Former Flight Attendant, Northwest Airlines

EDUCATION

White Bear Lake High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1965
University of Minnesota; Attended College;
University of St. Thomas; B.A.; Business Administration, around 1990

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: William "Bill" Luther (married in December 1967)
Children: Two children: Alex (son), Alicia (daughter)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
William Paul Luther  - Husband

GENERAL NOTES

When she took office in 1993, she and her husband, William "Bill" Paul Luther, became the first married couple to serve in the Minnesota Legislature at the same time.

She ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsed candidate in the Minnesota House of Representatives District 47A special election in 1991.

She was a liver transplant recipient in February 1998 after contracting hepatitis.

She was a flight attendant on the Northwest Orient Airlines plane that Garland J. Grant hijacked to Cuba in January 1971 (DeVine, Terry. "Luther Leaves Behind Many Admirers." Fargo Forum, February 3, 2002).

When she died, Governor Jesse Ventura ordered the state flags to be flown at half-staff in her honor.

She died of stomach cancer at home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota while still in office. Her funeral was held at the Cathedral of St. Paul in Minnesota. She was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1999-2000 and her obituary.

Total Days Served: 3313

SESSIONS SERVED

82nd Legislative Session (2001-2002)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 47A
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Brooklyn Park
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/30/2002 (unfinished term)
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Business Consultant/Substitute Teacher, Osseo School District
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
Reason for unfinished term: Death
Session Notes: She died while in office on January 30, 2002.

81st Legislative Session (1999-2000)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 47A
Elected: 11/3/1998
Residence: Brooklyn Park
Term of Office: 1/5/1999 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Business Consultant/Homemaker
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
Leadership Position: Assistant Minority Leader

80th Legislative Session (1997-1998)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 47A
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Brooklyn Park
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/4/1999
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Business Consultant/Homemaker
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Capital Investment
  • Education Minutes
  • Education: Family and Early Childhood Education Finance Division Minutes
  • Governmental Operations Minutes
  • Governmental Operations: Government Structures, Reform and Efficiency Minutes
  • Governmental Operations: State Government Finance Division Minutes

79th Legislative Session (1995-1996)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 47A
Elected: 11/8/1994
Residence: Brooklyn Park
Term of Office: 1/3/1995 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Business Consultant/Homemaker
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Bills Authored: Chief Author     Author
Committees:
  • Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs
  • Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs: Business Regulation Division
  • Commerce, Tourism and Consumer Affairs: Economic Equality (Chair)
  • Judiciary
  • Judiciary: Data Practices
  • Judiciary Finance
  • Ways and Means

78th Legislative Session (1993-1994)

  Session Details
Body: House
District: 47A
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Brooklyn Park
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/2/1995
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Business Consultant/Homemaker/Former Flight Attendant, Northwest Airlines
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
  • Commerce and Economic Development
  • Commerce and Economic Development: Consumer Protection
  • Commerce and Economic Development: Economic Equality (Chair)
  • Commerce and Economic Development: International Trade, Technology and Economic Development Division
  • Commerce and Economic Development: Real Estate and Commerce
  • Health and Human Services
  • Health and Human Services: Human Services Finance Division
  • Housing
  • Housing: Manufactured Housing
Articles & Books About
Johnson, Brett. "Luther Remembered for Commitment to Others (Obituary)." Brooklyn Park Sun-Post, February 13, 2002, p. 1A, 15A.

Lambert, LeClair Grier. "Reflections." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 8, 2002, p. 31.

Johnson, Brett. "Darlene Luther Dies at Age 54 (Obituary)." Brooklyn Center Sun-Post, February 6, 2002, p. 1A, 14A.

"Memories of Rep. Luther (Obituary)." St. Paul Legal Ledger, February 4, 2002.

DeVine, Terry. "Luther Leaves Behind Many Admirers (Obituary)." Fargo Forum, February 3, 2002.

Maeda, David. "State 'Family" Loses a Member." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 1, 2002, p. 22.

Salisbury, Bill. "'Tireless Worker' Dies at 54 (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, February 1, 2002, p. 1B, 4B.

Whereatt, Robert. "State Rep. Darlene Luther Dies at 54 (Obituary)." Star Tribune, February 1, 2002, p. A1, A15.

Anderson, Jim. "Crime Tops Luther's Agenda in Inner-Ring Suburb." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, February 12, 1993, p. 14.


District Files

District File - 2000 District 47A
These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library has collected newspaper articles on legislators since 1973. They are available in the Library.