Former Rep. Irv Anderson dies

Irv Anderson fought hard for what he believed in, friends, colleagues and family recall.
Anderson died Monday morning in Coon Rapids. A service is planned for 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, in International Falls, the city that many say he was proud to call home.
When asked to describe Anderson, former Rep. Richard Jefferson called him one of the great legislators of Minnesota. U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar called Anderson an extraordinary leader, and Rep. Al Juhnke called him part of Minnesota history.
Rep. Tom Anzelc, who Anderson endorsed for the District 3A seat after announcing that he would not seek reelection, called Anderson one of northern Minnesota’s giants. Former Falls Mayor Jack Murray called Anderson a scrappy guy who gave of himself 100 percent.
And Anderson’s daughter, Cindy Kevern, said her father’s strong belief in public service likely led her and her brother Greg to careers in government.
Jefferson recalled the day the House learned of the speaker opening.
“I asked him if he would run,” Jefferson told The Daily Journal. “He asked me if I would nominate him and I said I would be proud.”
On a recent visit to Anderson, Jefferson said he asked if he missed the Legislature. “He said, ‘Everyday, everyday.’ And he truly did,” said Jefferson.
Former Rep. Alice Johnson, who is married to Jefferson, said Anderson’s style didn’t always agree with everyone, but his leadership showed. “He was trying to involve all people in decision making,” she said.
Oberstar noted Anderson was the second Koochiching County son to serve as speaker, following Ed Chilgren, who served in the House from 1927-62 and 1963-64.
Anderson traveled around the state recruiting candidates for election who fit the district’s needs, said Oberstar. “He supported them in their campaign, and once elected, while they served in the Legislature,” he said. “He was honest and true.”
Anderson’s loyalty and devotion to the district and the state was mentioned by several people.
Johnson recalled that Anderson’s dedication to his position led him to often work late at the Capitol, then drive to International Falls for a meeting, get a few hours sleep at his home, and return to St. Paul the next day for legislative work.
Juhnke said Anderson was a wealth of knowledge to other legislators and a friend. He also called him a crafty politician who knew how to get things done. Anderson usually had a can or two of Grain Belt Premium in his office refrigerator to be shared with colleagues, he added.
Anderson’s interest in the party and the Legislature never ended, Juhnke said. Just a couple months ago Juhnke received a check from Anderson to support his reelection campaign.
Proud accomplishments for Anderson was his work to get school funding off the property tax rolls and into the general fund.
“He wanted to help the regular, middle class, blue-collar family,” Juhnke said.
Juhnke said Anderson is a poster child of durability, noting his comeback after losing several elections for a variety of positions.
“When most people would give up and say it’s time to go fishing, Irv just kept it up,” he said. “If there was a motto for Irv, it was never give up.”
In his first term, Anzelc said Anderson told him to “fight like hell for Rainy River” Community College. “That was his style, his way of communicating.” Anzelc credits Anderson for RRCC being established in International Falls.
Anderson was proud of his involvement in the state veterans memorial, said Murray. “His heart was deeply in that,” he said.
Anzelc and Murray said Anderson never missed a chance to advocate for International Falls and Koochiching County.
“He was always proud of his hometown,” said Murray, who was childhood friends with Anderson’s older brother Donald. Murray said Anderson fought hard to help Borderland. “When he went after something, he did all he could to get it,” he said.
Kevern said despite Anderson living in the Twin Cities for the past couple years to be close to his children, he always told people he was from International Falls.
Kevern also noted that her mother Phyllis played a big role in her father’s career. “We all recognized that if it hadn’t been for mom, I don’t know that dad would have always been successful in his career.”
Murray said he has a bottle of Canadian Club whisky that Anderson gave him for supporting his first bid for House in 1964.
“It’s still in the box and I haven’t opened it,” Murray said. Saturday may be the day for a sip, he suggested.

Anderson legacy long and varied, Journal Staff Report
Irv Anderson was first elected to the state House in 1964 and completed his 17th non-consecutive term. He was generally reelected by large margins until 1982 when he was defeated in the DFL primary by Bob Neuenschwander. The loss marked the beginning of a string of defeats including bids again for the House in 1984 and 1986 and for Koochiching County commissioner in 1988.
In 1990, he defeated Neuenschwander and was returned to the House.
"If you look in the dictionary under the word tenacity, you'll see Irv's picture," said Neuenschwander in 2006. "There are other words in the dictionary that also have his picture, but tenacity is the most commendable."
During his tenure, Anderson held many prominent positions in the DFL caucus. He worked his way up the ranks to become chair of the Tax Committee and Majority Leader.
In his role as Majority Leader, Anderson is remembered as being a strong and effective unifier for the DFL caucus.
In 1993, Anderson was elected speaker of the House. After he helped to successfully bring back a DFL majority following the Republican-dominated 1994 elections, his party rewarded him by reelecting him speaker.
Among the highlights as speaker, Anderson is credited for bringing the House into the digital age. Under his direction, the public gained access to House committee meetings and floor sessions, both on the Internet and television. He also provided a lap top computer to every member on the House floor.
Anderson's experience as a union activist at Boise Cascade followed him to the state Legislature, where he was known for his pro-labor advocacy. He consistently supported working men and women, as well as other core issues of the DFL party, such as education, health care and a fair tax system. During his time in the House, significant legislation was passed that moved Minnesota forward, such as the Minnesota Miracle, which helped to ensure that Minnesotans receive adequate public services without paying huge property taxes, regardless of where they live. MinnesotaCare, the groundbreaking health insurance for working men and women who do not have access to health care, was also created during Anderson's tenure.
Anderson served as a strong advocate for protecting Minnesota's resources, making him an early supporter of the ethanol and alternative energy industry in Minnesota.
As a World War II veteran, Anderson worked throughout his career for improved benefits and recognition for Minnesota's veterans. He was very proud of his role in passing in 2005 authorizing a WWII Memorial on the Capitol Mall.
Anderson was also proud of his reputation as a "Ranger" and over the years worked with fellow Range legislators to bring significant improvements and recognition back to the region. In 2000, Anderson helped create the 21st Century Mineral Fund, which is used to promote investments in the Iron Range region.
In his last term as a state representative, Anderson again worked to bring significant projects to his district. The Capital Investment Bill allocated $2.5 million to the creation of a plasma gasification facility for Koochiching County. This innovative facility will be fed with the region's garbage, while at the same time producing jobs and energy.
Another project in Anderson's district, the Minnesota Steel project, received $12 million in the Capital Investment bill, marking a significant return to mining in northern Minnesota.
The 21st Century Minerals fund, which Anderson helped establish, was allocated $11.5 million in the Budget Bill. In 2003, $49 million was taken from this fund to help offset the budget deficit; this new funding will begin to partially fill the hole that was left in this critical development resource for the Iron Range.
Anderson's final legislation in his session was to call for the creation of a Minnesota Historical Society task force to consider the future of the Grand Mound History Center in International Falls, which was closed in 2004 because of a budget deficit. The Grand Mound History Center was considered one of the best educational and tourism resources in District 3A, and if reopened, would add to Anderson's list of accomplishments as a state legislator.