Minnesota House celebrates ‘Mary Murphy Day’

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – During today’s floor session, the Minnesota House honored the late former Rep. Mary Murphy (DFL – Hermantown) by observing “Mary Murphy Day.” Rep. Murphy’s tenure in office from 1977-2023 made her the Legislature’s longest-serving woman. The House also voted to establish the “Mary C. Murphy Library Construction Grants Program” in recognition of her strong support for libraries during her legislative service.

“Mary Murphy was a wonderful state representative and human being,” said Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. “Mary had incredible persistence, determination, experience, patience, and legislative skill. She was trusted by Minnesotans in both parties; she had a reputation for fairness that was unassailable, and when she spoke, everyone stopped to listen. Mary approached her life and her work with kindness and integrity. She was a dear friend and mentor to me, and so many others. We miss her dearly, and we remember her and her accomplishments fondly.”

Rep. Murphy was widely known as a compassionate and collaborative legislator, a quiet leader, a great listener, and someone with limitless institutional knowledge. During her historic 23 legislative terms, she championed priorities such as women’s rights, labor, education, criminal justice reform, and investments in public infrastructure, including numerous projects in the Northland. She chaired several committees during her tenure, including Capital Investment, Redistricting, State Government Finance & Veterans Affairs, Cultural & Outdoor Resources, Judiciary, Education & Economic Competitiveness, Ethics, and Energy.

Born and raised in Hermantown, Rep. Murphy lived in her childhood home – a “Jackson Project” house constructed during the Great Depression – her entire life. Away from the Capitol, she taught history and social studies for 33 years at Duluth Central High School. On December 25, 2024, Rep. Murphy passed away following complications from a stroke. She was 85 years old.

Numerous friends, colleagues, and former staff members of Rep. Murphy attended the session to pay tribute including Congresswoman Betty McCollum; Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan; former House Speakers Dee Long and current Supreme Court Justice Paul Thissen; former House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler; former Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem; and about two dozen other former House members. 

Members read a House Resolution (text only version) and gubernatorial proclamation issued earlier this year honoring Rep. Murphy and shared numerous memories of their time serving with her. Following the floor session, members and guests gathered for a reception with homemade blueberry muffins, which became the official state muffin in 1988 as a result of a bill Rep. Murphy authored at the urging of students from an area elementary school.

The Minnesota House also passed HF 1090, a bipartisan bill renaming the state library construction grants to the “Mary C. Murphy Library Construction Grants Program.” These grants provide public libraries with funding for renovation, construction, and improvement projects that result in more accessible library facilities. The program is funded from the sale of General Revenue Obligation Bonds.

“Mary Murphy was a mentor, a friend, and a champion for building a better Minnesota,” said Rep. Fue Lee, Co-Chair of the House Capital Investment Committee and author of HF 1090. “In her final years at the Minnesota House, she served as Chair and Vice Chair of the Capital Investment Committee, where Library Construction Grants held a special place in her heart. As an avid reader and defender of education, it’s fitting that this funding of Minnesota’s libraries will be done in her name.”

Video of the floor session will be available from House Public Information Services’ YouTube page. A selection of photos is available here.