Albert Harold Quie (1923 - 2023)

Born 18 Sep 1923 in Dennison, Goodhue, Minnesota, United States

Ancestors

Died 18 Aug 2023 at age 99 in Wayzata, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States

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Preceded by 34th Governor Rudy Perpich

Al Quie 35th Governor of Minnesota 1979—1983

Succeeded by 36th Governor Rudy Perpich

Biography

Al Quie is Notable.

Albert was born in 1923. He is the son of Albert Knute Quie (Kvi) and Nettie Jacobson.^[1] He married Gretchen Marie Hansen June 5, 1948 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota.^[2]

Marriage Announcement

Gretchen Hansen

Gretchen Hansen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. S. J. Hansen. 3856 Columbus avenue, has chosen June 5 as the date for her marriage to Albert H. Quie, son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert K. Quie of Dennison, Minn. The ceremony will take place at Our Saviour's Lutheran church in Minneapolis.^[3]

Governors of Minnesota

Al Quie Biography

Born on a farm near Nerstrand, Minnesota, Albert Harold Quie was a U.S. Navy pilot during World War II. He graduated from St. Olaf College in political science in 1950, clerked for his local school board (1949–1952), and supervised the Rice County Soil Conservation District (1950–1954). He also owned and operated his family’s dairy farm.

In 1954 he won a Minnesota Senate seat. When U.S. Representative August H. Andresen died in office in 1958, Quie won that seat in a tight race. During twenty years in the House, Quie advocated for and authored bills relating to education, agriculture, anti-poverty, and labor issues. He was a ranking minority member of the House Committee on Education and Labor. His reputation for integrity made President Gerald Ford consider him for the vice-presidency in 1974.

Quie’s deep religious beliefs showed in his politics. He supported the International Christian Leadership and befriended leading figures in evangelical politics. In 1975 President Ford called him “a diligent servant of God and of his fellow men.”

In the 1978 gubernatorial race, Quie defeated incumbent Rudy Perpich, part of a wave of Republican victories for statewide offices and legislative seats. Republicans took advantage of divisive politics surrounding the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, Governor Wendell Anderson’s 1976 decision to appoint himself to the U.S. Senate, and DFL infighting over gun control and abortion.

A severe economic downturn triggered a state budget crisis that defined Quie’s gubernatorial years. When the DFL regained control of the state legislature in 1980, finding solutions became more difficult. Facing shortfalls, Quie rejected the deepest budget cuts and approved tax increases. This unpopular decision derived from his commitment to stabilizing state government, which cuts alone threatened. When he left office without seeking re-election, the state sported a budget surplus.

Ronald Reagan appointed Quie to the President’s Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations in 1982. In 1986 he became director of the Prison Fellowship Program for Minnesota and North Dakota, later serving as the organization’s national vice-president. Quie then retired and returned to live in Minnetonka.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Birth and Baptism: "U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Church Records", 1781-1969, Name: Albert Harold Buie, Baptism Age: 0, Record Type: Baptism, Birth Date: 18 Sep 1923, Baptism Date: 21 Oct 1923, Baptism Place: Nerstrand, Minnesota, USA, Father: Albert Buie, Mother: Nettie Jacobson, Church Name: Holden, Church Location: Kenyan, Minnesota, Image: 36.
2. ↑ Marriage: "U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index:, 1800s-1999, Name: Albert H. Quie, Gender: Male, Marriage Date: 5 Jun 1948, Marriage Place: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, Father: Albert K. Quie, Mother: Quie, Spouse: Gretchen Hansen.
3. ↑ Marriage Announcement: "Star Tribune" newspaper, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 28 March 1948, page 56.
4. ↑ Governors of Minnesota Biography: "Governors of Minnesota", https://mnhs.gitlab.io/archive/governors-of-minnesota-collections/collections.mnhs.org/governors/index.php/10004229.html.

• Al Quie on Wikipedia