The spouse of the governor of Minnesota is given an honorary position, styled as First Lady or First Gentleman of the State of Minnesota. To date there have been no female governors of the State of Minnesota, and all first spouses have been first ladies. [1]
The current first lady is Gwen Walz, wife of Governor Tim Walz.
Name | Image | Term in office | Birth-Death | Spouse of | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sarah Jane Steele Sibley | ![]() | 1858-1860 | 1823-1869 | Henry Sibley | |
Anna Earl Jenks Ramsey | 1860-1863 | 1826-1884 | Alexander Ramsey | ||
Ruth Livingston Swift | 1863-1864 | 1827-1881 | Henry Swift | ||
Margaret Funk Miller | 1864-1866 | 1816-1879 | Stephen Miller | ||
Abby Langford Marshall | 1866-1870 | 1826-1893 | William Marshall | ||
Mary Angelina "Lena" Morrill Austin | 1870-1874 | 1835-1910 | Horace Austin | ||
Laura Bowman Davis | 1874-1876 | c.1839-Unknown | Cushman Davis | ||
Mahala Fisk Pillsbury | 1876-1882 | 1832-1910 | John S. Pillsbury | ||
Amelia Thomas Hubbard | 1882-1887 | 1843-1923 | Lucius Hubbard | Born in Canada | |
Mary Elizabeth Wilson McGill | 1887-1889 | 1853-1932 | Andrew McGill | ||
Laura Hancock Merriam | 1889-1893 | 1850-1943 | William Merriam | ||
Nicolina Jacobsen Nelson | 1893-1895 | 1846-1922 | Knute Nelson | Born in Norway | |
Addie Barton Clough | 1895-1899 | 1850-1929 | D.M. Clough | ||
Alice Shepard Lind | 1899-1901 | 1859-1942 | John Lind | ||
Ruth Hall Van Sant | 1901-1905 | 1848-1928 | Samuel Van Sant | ||
Elinore "Nora" Preston Johnson | 1905-1909 | c.1874-1955 | John Johnson | ||
Adele O. M. Koke Eberhart | 1909-1915 | 1874-1945 | A.O. Eberhart | First First Lady born in Minnesota. | |
Vacant | 1915-1915 | Winfield Scott Hammond | Governor Hammond was not married. | ||
Mary Louise Cross Burnquist | 1915-1921 | 1880-1966 | J.A.A. Burnquist | ||
Idelle Louise Haugen Preus | 1921-1925 | 1884-1968 | J.A.O. Preus | ||
Ruth E. Donaldson Christianson | 1925-1931 | 1886-1944 | Theodore Christianson | ||
Ada A. Krejci Olson | 1931-1936 | 1893-1969 | Floyd B. Olson | ||
Medora B. Grandprey Petersen | 1936-1937 | 1896-1997 | Hjalmar Petersen | ||
Frances Lillian Miller Benson | 1937-1939 | 1896-1990 | Elmer Benson | ||
Esther G. Glewwe Stassen | 1939-1943 | 1906-2000 | Harold Stassen | worked as a secretary in a downtown St. Paul law office | |
Myrtle Ennor Oliver Thye | 1943-1947 | 1895-1972 | Edward Thye | ||
Irene Annet Engdahl Youngdahl | 1947-1951 | 1896-1992 | Luther Youngdahl | ||
Lillian Otterstad Anderson | 1951-1955 | 1913-1998 | C. Elmer Anderson | ||
Jane C. Shields Freeman | 1955-1961 | 1921-2018 | Orville Freeman | ||
Eleanor A. Johnson Andersen | 1961-1963 | 1911-2011 | Elmer Andersen | ||
Florence Boedeker Rolvaag | 1963-1967 | 1921-1983 | Karl Rolvaag | worked as a secretary at the literary journal "Southwestern Review"and taught at a business school | |
Iantha Powrie LeVander | 1967-1971 | 1913-2009 | Harold LeVander | ||
Mary Christine McKee Anderson | 1971-1976 | 1939-2018 | Wendell Anderson | Architect | |
Delores "Lola" Helen Simich Perpich | 1976-1979 | 1931- | Rudy Perpich | ||
Gretchen Marie Hansen Quie | 1979-1983 | 1927-2015 | Al Quie | ||
Delores "Lola" Helen Simich Perpich | 1983-1991 | 1931- | Rudy Perpich | ||
Susan Shepard Carlson | 1991-1999 | 1949- | Arne Carlson | ||
Theresa "Terry" Masters Janos "Ventura" | 1999-2003 | 1955- | Jesse Ventura | ||
Mary Anderson Pawlenty | ![]() | 2003-2011 | 1961- | Tim Pawlenty | state court judge |
Vacant | 2011-2019 | Mark Dayton | Governor Dayton was unmarried while governor | ||
Gwen Walz | ![]() | 2019-present | 1966- | Tim Walz |
First Lady of the United States (FLOTUS) is the title held by the hostess of the White House, usually the wife of the president of the United States, concurrent with the president's term in office. Although the first lady's role has never been codified or officially defined, she figures prominently in the political and social life of the United States. Since the early 20th century, the first lady has been assisted by official staff, known as the Office of the First Lady and headquartered in the East Wing of the White House.
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The governor of Minnesota is the head of government of the U.S. state of Minnesota, leading the state's executive branch. Forty people have been governor of Minnesota, though historically there were also three governors of Minnesota Territory. Alexander Ramsey, the first territorial governor, also served as state governor several years later. State governors are elected to office by popular vote, but territorial governors were appointed to the office by the United States president. The current governor of Minnesota is Tim Walz of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL).
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The spouse of the Governor of Virginia is given an honorary position, styled as First Lady or First Gentleman of the State of Virginia. To date there have been no female governors of the State of Virginia, and all first spouses have been first ladies.
Gwen Walz is an American educator and public school administrator. She is the 39th and current First Lady of Minnesota as the wife of Governor Tim Walz. In 2024, her husband was announced as the Democratic vice presidential candidate for the 2024 United States presidential election.