Mary Murphy, longest-serving woman in Minnesota House, dies at 85
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Mary Murphy, the longest-serving woman and second-longest-serving member of the Minnesota House, died on Christmas Day at the age of 85, according to Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Hortman called Murphy a "wonderful state representative and human being."
"So many people will miss her, and remember her and her accomplishments fondly," Hortman said.
Hortman said Murphy suffered a stroke last week and was placed in hospice care.
Murphy, who was born in Duluth and spent most of her life in nearby Hermantown, was first elected to the Minnesota House as a DFL Party member in 1976.
She went on to serve the Arrowhead for 46 years, losing re-election in District 3B in 2022 to Republican Natalie Zeleznikar by just 33 votes.
In a statement posted on X Wednesday night, Gov. Tim Walz called Murphy "a true champion for the Northland."
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar also took to X to hail Murphy for being "a strong advocate and so often the only woman at the table in northern MN."
"Now that's changed, but Mary was in so many ways ahead of her time!" Klobuchar wrote.
Besides her historic political career, Murphy also worked for decades as a history and social studies teacher at Duluth Central High School.