Laufenburger, Roger A.
Senate 1963-72 (District 2); Senate 1973-80 (District 34)
Party when first elected: Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Counties Served:
Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
9/5/1921
Birth Place:
Winona, Minnesota
Birth County:
Winona
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
9/20/2001
Gender:
Male
Religion:
Presbyterian
Reported Minority: None Reported
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Lewiston
Occupation (when first elected):
Insurance Agency Owner/Daily Radio Show Announcer, Roger's Rumpus Room
EDUCATION
Winona High School; Secondary; Graduate
Vocational-Technical School; Insurance Training Courses
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
Judge:
Lewiston, Minnesota (Justice of the Peace);
1951 to 1953
[Elected]
Municipal Council/Aldermen:
Lewiston, Minnesota (Village Council);
1956 to 1962
[Elected]
State Board/Commission/Council:
Minnesota State Transportation Regulation Board (Chair, Appointed by Governor Rudy Perpich);
08/1983 to 08/1989
[Appointed]
Municipal Council/Aldermen:
Lewiston, Minnesota (City Council);
12/1989 to 199?
Municipal Mayor:
Lewiston, Minnesota (City Mayor);
1992 to 2001
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Selma
Children:
Four children: Bruce (son); (3 daughters)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
Special Legislative Concerns: transportation, business, agriculture, labor-employment.
He ran unsuccessfully for the Minnesota Senate in the 1958 election.
He was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and was a Liberal.
He had a stroke and died at St. Anne's Hospice in Lewiston, Minnesota. His funeral was held at First Presbyterian Church in Lewiston, Minnesota.
Religion provided by the Catholic Bulletin, 3/21/1975 and obituary.
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented:
Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Banking
-
Employment (Chair)
-
Rules and Administration
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Highways and Bridges
-
Transportation: Transportation Policy (Chair)
[He was the Chair in 1979 only.]
Ran in next election? Yes. Defeated in general election
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/2/1976
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/4/1977 to 1/5/1981
Counties Represented:
Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party:
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Committees:
-
Commerce
-
Commerce: Banking
-
Employment (Chair)
-
Rules and Administration
-
Transportation
-
Transportation: Public Transportation
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977
Counties Represented:
Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
Committees:
-
Labor and Commerce
-
Labor and Commerce: Commerce and Insurance
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Interim Commissions
-
Rules and Administration: Joint Rule 20 (Deadlines)
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Transportation and General Legislation (Chair)
-
Transportation and General Legislation: Highways
Body: Senate
District: 34
Elected: 11/7/1972
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/2/1973 to 1/3/1977
Counties Represented:
Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Democratic-Farmer-Labor Caucus
Committees:
-
Labor and Commerce
-
Labor and Commerce: Commerce and Insurance
-
Rules and Administration
-
Rules and Administration: Interim Commissions
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
-
Transportation and General Legislation (Chair)
-
Transportation and General Legislation: Joint Fuel Oil (Chair)
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/3/1970
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/5/1971 to 1/1/1973
Counties Represented:
Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
-
Civil Administration
-
Commerce and Insurance
-
Labor Relations
-
Public Highways
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/4/1971
Counties Represented:
Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
-
Agriculture
-
General Legislation
-
Labor
-
Public Highways
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/8/1966
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/3/1967 to 1/4/1971
Counties Represented:
Wabasha, Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
-
Agriculture
-
General Legislation
-
Labor
-
Public Highways
-
Taxes and Tax Laws
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/2/1967
Counties Represented:
Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
-
Agriculture
-
Game and Fish
-
General Legislation
-
Military Affairs and Civil Defense
-
Municipal Affairs
Body: Senate
District: 02
Elected: 11/6/1962
Residence: Lewiston
Term of Office: 1/8/1963 to 1/2/1967
Counties Represented:
Winona
Occupation: Insurance Agency Owner/Daily Radio Show Announcer, Roger's Rumpus Room
Party:
Nonpartisan Election-Liberal Caucus
Committees:
-
Agriculture
-
Game and Fish
-
General Legislation
-
Military Affairs and Civil Defense
-
Municipal Affairs
Articles & Books About
"Former State Senator Roger Laufenburger Dies at 80 (Obituary)." St. Paul Pioneer Press, September 23, 2001.
Collins, Terry. "Roger Laufenburger, 80, Dies; State Senator, Mayor (Obituary)." Star Tribune, September 22, 2001.
Woody, Laura. "Ties Pull Laufenburger Home." Rochester Post-Bulletin, January 17, 1990, p. 1B.
Sturdevant, Lori. "Job as Lobbyist Saved Him From Early Retirement." Minneapolis Tribune, February 23, 1981, p. 8B.
Archive Collections
Roger A. Laufenburger Papers, 1969-1980
- Available in the Minnesota Historical Society's Collections
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.