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    Wozniak, Sr., Daniel Donald "D.D., Don"

    Sessions Served    Other Information

    House 1951-62 (District 39); House 1963-65 (District 45)

    Party when first elected:  Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus

    Counties Served:  Ramsey

    BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

    Date of Birth: 8/26/1922
    Birth Place: Silver Lake, Minnesota
    Birth County:
    Birth Country: United States
    Date of Death: 8/17/2005
    Gender: Male
    Religion: Catholic
    Reported Minority: None Reported
    Other Names: D.D., Don
    City of Residence (when first elected): Saint Paul
    Occupation (when first elected): Attorney, St. Paul/Former Economics Instructor, University of Minnesota

    EDUCATION

    Central High School, Minneapolis; Secondary; Graduate
    College of St. Thomas; B.A.; Economics, Cum Laude, 1943
    University of Minnesota, Law School; LL.B.; 1948

    OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE

    Military: United States Navy (World War II, Pacific Theater, Naval Aviator/Fighter Pilot); 194? to 194?
    U.S. Executive Branch: United States State Department, Ecuador/South America (Foreign Service Officer/Ambassador Select, Appointed by President Lyndon Johnson); 10/1965 to 08/1967 [Appointed]
    Judge: Minnesota Court of Appeals (Appointed by Governor Rudy Perpich); 11/02/1983 to 11/1987 [Appointed]
    Judge: Minnesota Court of Appeals (Chief Justice); 11/16/1987 to 08/1992 [Appointed]

    FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

    Spouse: Angela Walsh (married on August 30, 1947; she died on May 29, 1999)
    Children: Four children: Angela Louise and Victoria Ann (daughters), Daniel "Dan" Donald Jr. and George Walsh (sons)
    Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:

    GENERAL NOTES

    He was one of the original judges appointed to the Minnesota Court of Appeals when it was first established.

    He was of Polish and Russian ancestry.

    He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)

    He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota House of Representatives in the 1958 election.

    He was named a Papal Knight of the Holy Sepulchre in 1982 by Pope John Paul II.

    He died of a brain-stem stroke. His funeral was held at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.

    Religion provided by his obituary.

    Most recent term photo
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    Total Days Served: 5387

    SESSIONS SERVED

    64th Legislative Session (1965-1966)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 45
    Elected: 11/3/1964
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/5/1965 to 10/1/1965 (unfinished term)
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Attorney, St. Paul/Former Instructor, Economics, University of Minnesota
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Financial Institutions and Securities
    • Judiciary
    • Taxes
    • University
    Reason for unfinished term: Appointed to other office
    Session Notes: He was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to serve as a Foreign Service Officer to Ecuador in October 1965. His term end date is uncertain since we don't know the actual date of his appointment.

    63rd Legislative Session (1963-1964)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 45
    Elected: 11/6/1962
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/4/1965
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Attorney/Former Economics Instructor, University of Minnesota
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Financial Institutions and Securities
    • Judiciary
    • Taxes
    • University
    term photo
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    62nd Legislative Session (1961-1962)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/8/1960
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/3/1961 to 1/7/1963
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)
    Committees:
    • Banking
    • Civil Administration
    • Employees Compensation
    • Judiciary
    • Rules
    • Taxes (Chair)

    61st Legislative Session (1959-1960)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/4/1958
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/6/1959 to 1/2/1961
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)
    Committees:
    • Banking
    • Civil Administration
    • Employees Compensation
    • Judiciary
    • Rules
    • Taxes (Chair)

    60th Legislative Session (1957-1958)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/6/1956
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/8/1957 to 1/5/1959
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)
    Committees:
    • Banking
    • Civil Administration (Chair)
    • Employees Compensation
    • Judiciary
    • Rules
    • Taxes
    term photo
    Click to view

    59th Legislative Session (1955-1956)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/2/1954
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/4/1955 to 1/7/1957
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration (Chair)
    • Employees Compensation
    • Judiciary
    • Markets and Marketing
    • Rules
    • Taxes

    58th Legislative Session (1953-1954)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/5/1952
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/6/1953 to 1/3/1955
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Attorney
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)
    Committees:
    • Civil Administration
    • Employees Compensation
    • General Legislation
    • Judiciary
    • Motor Vehicles

    57th Legislative Session (1951-1952)

      Session Details
    Body: House
    District: 39
    Elected: 11/7/1950
    Residence: Saint Paul
    Term of Office: 1/2/1951 to 1/5/1953
    Counties Represented: Ramsey
    Occupation: Attorney, St. Paul/Former Economics Instructor, University of Minnesota
    Party: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus Party Notes: He was a "maverick Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party activist." (Prather, Shannon and Salisbury, Bill. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. B1)
    Committees:
    • Aircraft and Airways
    • Civil Administration
    • Judiciary
    • University
    • Welfare
    term photo
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    OTHER INFORMATION

    Articles & Books About
    Hahn, Trudi. "Ex-Judge, Legislator D.D. Wozniak Dies at 82 (Obituary)." Star Tribune, August 19, 2005, p. 6B.

    Prather, Shannon and Bill Salisbury. "As Judge, Legislator or Activist, He Wasn't Afraid to Buck System." St. Paul Pioneer Press, August 19, 2005, p. 1B, 6B.


    These files are available in the Legislative Reference Library.

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