Larson, Calvin R. "Cal"
House 1967-72 (District 55); House 1973-74 (District 11A); Senate 1987-2006 (District 10)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Counties Served:
Becker, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns, Traverse, Wadena
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
8/10/1930
Birth Place:
Glyndon, Minnesota
Birth County:
Clay
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
4/1/2024
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Lutheran
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
Cal
City of Residence (when first elected):
Fergus Falls
Occupation (when first elected):
Special Representative, Businessmen's Assurance Company of America
EDUCATION
Badger High School; Secondary; Graduate, 1948
Concordia College, Moorhead; B.A.; Political Science and Business Administration, 1952
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Municipal Board/Commission:
Seaway Port Authority of Duluth;
[Dates Unknown]
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Great Lakes Commission;
19?? to ?
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission;
19?? to ?
Military:
United States Navy (Korean War);
1952 to 1956
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota Statehood Sesquicentennial Commission;
2006 to 12/31/2008
[Appointed]
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Loretta Pederson (married August 28, 1955)
Children:
Two children: Laura and Peder
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
Special Legislative Concerns: rural economic development/expansion, education, taxes.
"His long list of legislative achievements ranged from establishing the Fergus Falls Veterans Home, imporoving te local communtiy college and establishing Glendalough State Park to his education committee work in the 1960s that helped open the door for the first Minnesota State High School League girls' sports." [Fergus Falls Journal, April 3, 2024]
He was a member of the Republican Party. (Minneapolis Star, May 15, 1974)
Religion provided by the Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1987-88.
His memorial service will be held on June 7, 2024 at 1pm at Zion Lutheran Church on Franklin Lake in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota.
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Becker, Otter Tail, Wadena
Occupation: Consultant
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Capital Investment
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Consumer Protection, Banking and Insurance
-
Commerce: No Fault Insurance
-
Finance
-
Finance: Higher Education Budget Division
-
Finance: State Government Budget Division
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules
Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/5/2002
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/7/2003 to 1/2/2007
Counties Represented:
Becker, Otter Tail, Wadena
Occupation: Consultant
Party:
Republican
Special Session Bills Authored: 2003 1st Sp.S. - Author
Committees:
-
Capital Investment
-
Commerce and Utilities-2003/Commerce-2004
[He was a member in 2004 only.]
-
Finance
-
Finance: Higher Education Budget Division
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/7/2000
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/3/2001 to 1/6/2003
Counties Represented:
Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns
Occupation: Consultant
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Capital Investment
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Banking
-
Commerce: Consumer Protection and Regulated Industries
-
Education
-
Education: Higher Education Budget Division
-
Education: Workforce Education
-
Finance
-
Finance: State Government, Economic Development and Judiciary Budget Division
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Permanent and Joint Rules
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns
Occupation: Consultant
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Children, Families and Learning
-
Children, Families and Learning/Education Finance: Higher Education Budget Division
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Banking
-
Education Finance
-
Election Laws
-
Jobs, Energy and Community Development/Commerce/Human Resources Finance Comm.: Economic Development Budget Division
-
Rules and Administration
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/5/1996
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/7/1997 to 1/2/2001
Counties Represented:
Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns
Occupation: Consultant
Party:
Republican
Committees:
-
Children, Families and Learning
-
Children, Families and Learning/Education Finance: Higher Education Budget Division
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Banking
-
Education Finance
-
Election Laws
-
Jobs, Energy and Community Development/Commerce/Human Resources Finance Comm.: Economic Development Budget Division
-
Rules and Administration
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns
Occupation: Insurance Broker
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Commerce and Consumer Protection
-
Commerce and Consumer Protection: Banking
-
Commerce and Consumer Protection: Insurance
-
Education
-
Education: Education Funding Division
-
Education: Higher Education Division
-
Finance
-
Rules and Administration
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/3/1992
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/5/1993 to 1/6/1997
Counties Represented:
Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns
Occupation: Insurance Broker
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Commerce and Consumer Protection
-
Commerce and Consumer Protection: Banking
-
Commerce and Consumer Protection: Insurance
-
Education
-
Education: Education Funding Division
-
Education: Higher Education Division
-
Finance
-
Veterans and General Legislation
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/6/1990
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/8/1991 to 1/4/1993
Counties Represented:
Becker, Otter Tail
Occupation: Insurance Broker
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Rural Development
-
Agriculture and Rural Development: Rural Development
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Consumer Protection/Regulated Industries (Liquor)
-
Commerce: Insurance
-
Education
-
Education: American Indian Education
-
Education: Education Funding Division
-
Education: Higher Education
-
Finance
-
Finance: Environment and Natural Resources Division
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
Becker, Otter Tail
Occupation: Real Estate/Insurance Broker
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Agriculture and Rural Development
-
Agriculture and Rural Development: Agricultural Credit
-
Education
-
Education: Higher Education Division
-
Education: Indian Education
-
Education: Joint Senate/House Library
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Taxes and Tax Laws: Property Taxes and Local Government Aids Division
-
Veterans and Military Affairs
Body: Senate
District: 10
Elected: 11/4/1986
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/6/1987 to 1/7/1991
Counties Represented:
Becker, Otter Tail
Occupation: Real Estate and Insurance Broker
Party:
Independent Republican
Committees:
-
Agriculture
-
Agriculture: Agriculture Credit
-
Education
-
Education: Higher Education Division
-
Education: Joint Senate/House Library
-
Environment and Natural Resources
-
Environment and Natural Resources: Public Lands and Waters
-
Veterans
Body: House
District: 11A
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/6/1975
Counties Represented:
Grant, Otter Tail, Traverse
Occupation: Partner, Reitan-Larson Co.; Mortgage Loans, Insurance and Property Management
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
-
Education
-
Financial Institutions and Insurance
-
Governmental Operations
-
Rules and Legislative Administration
Elected: 11/3/1970
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/5/1971 to 1/1/1973
Counties Represented:
Otter Tail
Occupation: Partner; Reitan-Larson Co., Mortgage Loans, Insurance and Property Management
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
-
Education
-
Financial Institutions
-
Governmental Operations
-
Higher Education
-
Insurance
-
Labor Relations
Elected: 11/5/1968
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/7/1969 to 1/4/1971
Counties Represented:
Otter Tail
Occupation: Partner; Reitan-Larson Co., Mortgage Loans, Insurance and Property Management
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
-
Cities of the Second and Third Class
-
Crime Prevention
-
Education
-
Employee Compensation and Retirements
-
Higher Education
-
Insurance
-
Public Institutions
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Fergus Falls
Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/6/1969
Counties Represented:
Otter Tail
Occupation: Special Representative, Businessmen's Assurance Company of America
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Conservative Caucus
Committees:
-
Civil Administration
-
Dairy Products and Livestock
-
Education
-
Government Employee Security
-
Insurance and Securities
-
Labor-Management Relations
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.
Articles & Books About
"Former Minnesota Sen. Calvin Larson dies at 93." Fargo Forum, April 8, 2024.
"Larson, Cal." Star Tribune, April 7, 2024, P. B10.
"Calvin Larson 1930-2024." Fergus Falls Journal, April 3, 2024.
District Files
District File - 2000 District 10
District File - 2002 District 10
District File - 2001 District 10
District File - 2003 District 10
District File - 2004 District 10
District File - 2005 District 10
District File - 2006 District 10
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.