Rolvaag, Karl F., 1913-1990

Rolvaag was born in 1913 in Northfield, Minn., the son of author Ole E. Rolvaag. He was chairman of the state Democratic Farmer Labor Party (1950-1954), Minnesota lieutenant governor (1955-1962), Minnesota governor (1963-1967), U.S. ambassador to Iceland (1967-1969).

Karl Fritjof Rolvaag was born July 18, 1913, in Northfield, Minnesota, to Ole Edvart and Jennie (Berdahl) Rolvaag. After serving in World War II, he returned to Minnesota. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress in districts 1 (1946) and 5 (1952). He was chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party from 1950 to 1954. In 1954 he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota, serving in that capacity until 1962. In that year, he was elected Governor over incumbent Elmer L. Andersen by a margin of less than 100 votes after a protracted recount process. In 1966 he was denied endorsement for re-election, entered and won the DFL primary over endorsee Lieutenant Governor A. M. (Sandy) Keith, and lost in the general election to Harold LeVander. He was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Iceland by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1967, serving through March 27, 1969. In 1972 he was elected to the Minnesota Public Service Commission. Rolvaag was married to Florence Boedeker; they divorced in January 1981. In 1982, he married Marian Rankin MacKenzie.