MONDAY, OCTOBER30 • 2000 Metro/State * STAR TRIBUNE • PAGE B7 = Q Obituaries Longtime OFL legislator and state appellate judge Fred ,Norton, dies at age' 72 He spent 20 years in House ,ojRepresentatives serving part oj ~t. Paul, and helped increase his, party's power ByTe&Y\«oT~UNE OCT 30 '00 IIHe was very calm and inclu­ Star Tribune StaffWriter sive/' former House Speaker , DFL-Brooklyn Center, Colleagues probably will re­ said of Norton in 1997. IIHe member Fred Norton as a re­ reached outto a diverse caucus." served, soft-spoken DFL legislator Norton's acceptance by both who served for 20 years. He was a parties cost him in 1981, when he man who, despite serving in a lost the speaker's post by two tumultuous House votes. However, he became the during the late 1960s and"70s, first person in state history to be developed a reputation for good elected speaker in nonconsecu­ judgment and fairness to both tive terms when he won in 1987. ' political parties. Later that year, he Was ap­ Norton, who later was a judge pointed to the appellate court by on the Minnesota Court of Ap­ DFL Gov. , five peals for 10 years, died Saturday years after voters app;roved the of bone cancer at his home in Fred Norton led the House creation of an intermediate Marine on St. Croix. He was 72. Appropriations Committee branch between district courts IIHe was a man who had a from 1973 to 1980. and the Sup;reme Court. wonderful sense of integrity/' In 1997, he retired from the said Marvel Norton, his wife of20 ing programs. bench at 'age 69 to spend more years. IIHe was a first-class gen­ As the role of state govern­ time with his family. He and his tlemanand sweetheart." mentincreased, the DFL-led gov­ wife spent winters in Florida and 'Norton spent a decade on the ernment passed many environ­ traveled to four other continents. 'state attorney general's staff, then mental and labor laws, as well as Around that time, his cancer was elected to the House in 1966 increases in education spending was diagnosed, McLaughlin said. in District 65A, which covers the and consumer protection. The disease began taking a more multiethnic W. 7th Street, Crocus IIThose were great years. We:q.­ aggressive form earlier this Hill, Ramsey Hill, Summit-Uni­ dyand I still reminisce how great month, she said. versity and Frogtown neighbor­ those ~arly to mid-'70s years Services will be held at 10 hoods in St. Paul. were," Norton told the Star Trib­ a.m. Thursday at Christ Lutheran Judy McLaughlin, Norton's une in 1997, reflecting on his re­ Church, 150 5th St., Marine on St. former longtime assistant, said he lationship with former Gov. Wen>; Croix. was II an old-fashioned guy who dell Anderson, a DFLer. In addition to his wife, survi.,. thought his constituents came With the DFL having a one­ velrs include daughters Cynthia first." vpte majority in the House in Norton Tocho of Sunfish Lake Norton became a guiding 1980, Norton was elected speak­ and Katharine Norton ofAlexan­ force as the DFL achieved major­ er, beating -out , a dria, Va., and sons Jeffrey Norton ity status in the ~ouse. From fellowDFLer. Norton won an un­ of St. Paul, Kelly Jonaso~' of San 1973 to 1980, he was chairman of precedented bipartisan vote, re­ Luis Obispo, Calif.,'and Bill Jona­ the powerful House Appropria­ ceiving nearly twice as mapy son ofRochester. tions Committee, which provided votes from Independent Republi­ Terry Collins can be contacted at state mo~ey for new and expand- cans than from his own party. [email protected] '