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Growe, Joan Ruth

Sessions Served  red ball graphic  Other Information

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Map of Minnetonka
Minnetonka, MN

House 1973-74 (District 40A)

Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus

Counties Served:  Hennepin

BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Date of Birth: 09/28/1935 Date of Death: 
Birth Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota Birth County: Hennepin Birth Country: United States
Other Names: Former Name: Anderson
Gender:  Female Religion:  Not Reported
City of Residence (when first elected):  Minnetonka

Occupation (when first elected):  Former Elementary Teacher, Bloomington Public Schools/Former Special Education Teacher, Christ Child School for Exceptional Children, St. Paul, and St. Anthony Public Schools

EDUCATION

St. Francis Elementary School; Elementary School;
Buffalo High School; Secondary;
St. Cloud State College; B.S.; Teaching, 1956
University of Minnesota; Attended Graduate School; Graduate Work, Special Education Certificate

OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

State Board/Commission/CouncilMinnesota State Board of Investment ??/??/19?? to ??/??/19??
State Secretary of StateMinnesotaElected01/06/1975 to 01/03/1999

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

Spouse: Divorced (in the early 1960s); Glen H. Growe (remarried in the late 1960s)
Children: Four children: Michael, Colleen, David "Dave", and Patrick
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

GENERAL NOTES

She ran unsuccessfully as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor endorsed candidate for the United States Senate in the 1984 election. She lost to Rudy Boschwitz.

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

When she was elected Minnesota Secretary of State, she became the first woman to be elected to a Minnesota statewide office without having been appointed first.

Her father served as Mayor of Buffalo, Minnesota.

Legislative Session: 68th (1973-1974)   Session Details term photo
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Body: House Elected: 11/7/1972 Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/6/1975
District: 40A Residence: Minnetonka
Counties Represented: Hennepin
Occupation: Former Teacher
Party: Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
Committees:
Crime Prevention and Corrections
Education
Judiciary
Metropolitan and Urban Affairs

OTHER INFORMATION

Audio/Video
Women Making Change (Documentary). Minnesota: Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) and American Association of University Women, Red Wing Branch, Original Broadcast Date: September 25, 2011. - "Stories of vision and courage from women in Minnesota politics over the past century, leading and inspiring others." Includes former legislators Coya Knutson, Joan Growe, Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Sandy Wollschlager, and Laura Brod (mentions Mee Moua).


Articles & Books By
Joan Ruth Growe Profile, 1974?


Articles & Books About
Donovan, Sandy. "Growe Steps from One House Term to Six Terms as Secretary of State." Session Weekly, St. Paul: Minnesota House of Representatives Information Office, March 6, 1998, p. 4.


Archive Collections
Joan Growe Papers, 1936, 1973-1998 - Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections.


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

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Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, 645 State Office Building, Saint Paul, MN  55155