Loehr, Alcuin "Al" (1927-2013)

https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/legpol_oh/3/ [13649]

Biographical Information: Alcuin Loehr was born on October 20, 1927, in St. Cloud to Arnold and Regina (VonBokern) Loehr. He married Shirley Mae Raden on June 10, 1950. Loehr served in the US Navy from 1945 to 147 and then worked for Great Northern Railroad. He was a field man for the DFL, Minnesota commissioner of Veterans Affairs and Stearns County Civil Defense director. Loehr was mayor of the city of St. Cloud from 1970-1980. Loehr ran for state auditor in 1974 but lost in the DFL primary. From 1980-1990 he was administrative aide for the Minnesota Senate. At the time of his death, he was a staff assistant for US Representative Colin Peterson. Loehr died on April 16, 2013, in St. Cloud.

Transcript Summary: In oral interview recorded July 12 and July 18, 1977, Al Loehr recounted his entry into politics, his service in a variety of roles helping veterans, and the personalities of politicians in the 1970s as the state transitioned to party designation for legislative candidates. At the urging of Minnesota politician Walter Mondale, Loehr entered politics. He lost his first race, for the state Senate, in 1964, to Republican Keith Hughes. After the 1964 election, Minnesota governor Karl Rolvaag appointed him commissioner of Veterans Affairs. In the 1970 city of St. Cloud mayoral election, Loehr asserted that the city now needed a full-time mayor to address issues facing the area while having an impact on legislative issues. He served as mayor until 1980. During Loehr’s tenure as mayor, St. Cloud was named an All-America city, the downtown mall and ring road were built, and the city developed the Municipal Athletic Complex and Whitney Memorial Park. Loehr also discussed the position of state auditor and its authority, which he ran for unsuccessfully in 1974.