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Purfeerst, Clarence Mark

Sessions Served

Other Information

Senate 1971-72 (District 7); Senate 1973-82 (District 24); Senate 1983-90 (District 25)

Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

Counties Served: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Waseca

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 6/30/1928

Birth Place: Faribault, Minnesota

Birth County: Rice

Birth Country: United States

Date of Death: 9/25/2017

Gender: Male

Religion: Catholic

Reported Minority: None Reported

Other Names:

City of Residence (when first elected): Faribault

Occupation (when first elected): Farmer/Owner and Operator of Farm with Beef and Hog Feeding Operation

EDUCATION

Faribault High School; Secondary; Graduate

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

Municipal Board/Commission: Faribault, Minnesota (Airport Zoning Board); [Dates Unknown]

School Board/Administration: Faribault, Minnesota (School Board); 19?? to 19??

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Rosie (Rosemond)
Children: Six children: Judy, Jane, Jim, Joe, Mary, and Amy
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

Special Legislative Concerns: transportation, agriculture, finance, natural resources.

He was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975.

According to a Pioneer Press article at the time of his retirement, he was known for his malapropisms. Two examples were given-- "correct me if I'm right" and "being in the Legislature is no bed of gravy." ("Retiring Purfeest gave Senate colleagues load of malapropisms." St. Paul Pioneer Press, October 22, 1990)

His malapropisms came to be known as "Purfer-isms." (Star Tribune obituary, October 21, 2017).

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Total Days Served: 7308

SESSIONS SERVED

76th Legislative Session (1989-1990) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/4/1986

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Commerce
Commerce: Banking
Commerce: Regulated Industries
Finance
Finance: Agriculture/Transportation and Semi-States Division
Rules and Administration
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: General Policy, Rural and Commercial - Ex Officio Member
Transportation: Transit - Ex Officio Member

Leadership Position: Majority Pro Tem

75th Legislative Session (1987-1988)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/4/1986

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Waseca

Occupation: Farm Owner and Operator, Grain and Hog Feeding Operations

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Commerce
Commerce: Banking
Commerce: Regulated Industries
Finance
Finance: Agriculture/Transportation and Semi-States Division
Rules and Administration
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: General Policy and Rural and Commercial - Ex Officio Member
Transportation: Transit - Ex Officio Member

Leadership Position: Majority Pro Tem

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74th Legislative Session (1985-1986) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/2/1982

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/5/1987

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Finance
Finance: Agriculture/Transportation/Semi-States
Finance: State Departments
Public Utilities and State Regulated Industries
Public Utilities and State Regulated Industries: Gaming and Investigations
Rules and Administration
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: General Policy - Ex Officio Member
Transportation: Rural and Commercial - Ex Officio Member
Transportation: Transit - Ex Officio Member

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73rd Legislative Session (1983-1984)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 25

Elected: 11/2/1982

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/4/1983 to 1/5/1987

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Waseca

Occupation: Farmer

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Finance
Finance: Agriculture/Transportation/Semi-States
Finance: State Departments
Public Utilities and State Regulated Industries
Public Utilities and State Regulated Industries: Gaming and Investigations
Rules and Administration
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: General Policy - Ex Officio Member
Transportation: Rural and Commercial - Ex Officio Member
Transportation: Transit - Ex Officio Member

72nd Legislative Session (1981-1982)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 24

Elected: 11/4/1980

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/6/1981 to 1/3/1983

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Farmer; Farm Owner and Operator, Grain and Hog Feeding Operation

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Finance
Finance: Health, Welfare and Corrections
Finance: Semi-States/DOT
Health, Welfare and Corrections
Rules and Administration
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: General Policy
Transportation: Highway Safety (Chair)
Transportation: Rural and Commercial
Transportation: Transit

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71st Legislative Session (1979-1980) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 24

Elected: 11/2/1976

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Farmer; Owner and Operator of a Farm with Grain and Hog Feeding Operations

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Employment
Employment: Economic Development
Finance
Finance: Semi-State and Transportation
Joint Agriculture and Natural Resources/Governmental Operations/Local Government/Taxes and Tax Laws/Transportation: Agricultural Land Preservation
Rules and Administration
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: Highways and Bridges
Transportation: Pipelines-1979
Transportation: Rural and Commercial Transportation
Transportation: Transit
Transportation: Transportation Policy (Chair) [He was Chair in 1980 only.]

70th Legislative Session (1977-1978)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 24

Elected: 11/2/1976

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Farmer, Owner and Operator, Beef and Hog Feeding Operation

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Committees:

Employment
Employment: Economic Development
Finance
Finance: Semi-State and Transportation
Rules and Administration
Transportation (Chair)
Transportation: Highways and Bridges
Transportation: Public Transportation
Transportation: Transit

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69th Legislative Session (1975-1976) (second half of Senate term)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 24

Elected: 11/7/1972

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Farmer/Owner and Operator of Farm with Beef and Hog Feeding Operation

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus

Committees:

Finance
Finance: Claims
Finance: State Departments III and Semi-State Affairs (Chair)
Natural Resources and Agriculture
Natural Resources and Agriculture: Game and Fish
Natural Resources and Agriculture: Public Lands
Natural Resources and Agriculture: Water Resources
Transportation and General Legislation
Transportation and General Legislation: Highways (Chair)

68th Legislative Session (1973-1974)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 24

Elected: 11/7/1972

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977

Counties Represented: Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott

Occupation: Farmer/Owner and Operator of Farm with Beef and Hog Feeding Operation

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus

Committees:

Finance
Finance: Joint Claims (Chair)
Finance: Natural Resources, Highways and Semi-State
Natural Resources and Agriculture
Natural Resources and Agriculture: Game and Fish
Natural Resources and Agriculture: Public Lands
Transportation and General Legislation
Transportation and General Legislation: Highways (Chair)

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67th Legislative Session (1971-1972)

Session Details

Body: Senate

District: 07

Elected: 11/3/1970

Residence: Faribault

Term of Office: 1/5/1971 to 1/1/1973

Counties Represented: Le Sueur, Rice

Occupation: Farmer/Owner and Operator of Farm with Beef and Hog Feeding Operation

Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

Committees:

Agriculture
General Legislation
Health and Welfare
Public Highways

OTHER INFORMATION

Senate Photos

The photos in this collection were scanned from the files of the Minnesota Senate Photographer with the generous help of the Minnesota Digital Library.

Senator Clarence Purfeerst listens to floor debate in the Senate Chamber, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senator Clarence Purfeerst speaks in committee, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senator Dean Johnson, Senator Clarence Purfeerst, and Representative Randy Kelly listen to testimony during a committee hearing, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Senator Nick Coleman, Senator John Keefe, and Senator Robert Ashbach confer with colleagues (in the foreground) Senator Purfeerst and Senator Gerald Willet on the Senate floor, St. Paul, Minnesota.

Articles & Books About
Belz, Adam. "Former Legislator Leaves Legacy of Horse Racing, Malapropisms: Clarence Purfeerst, Longtime, Quotable State Senator." Star Tribune, October 21, 2017, p. B4.

"Clarence Mark Purfeerst: 1928-2017" Pioneer Press, September 28, 2017.

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.

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