[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 94 (Wednesday, June 5, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3247-S3248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                         REMEMBERING DON FRASER

 Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, today I wish to acknowledge the 
passing of a true champion for good--former Congressman, Minneapolis 
mayor, and my friend and neighbor--Don Fraser, who died at the age of 
95 on June 2, 2019. Those who knew him best described Don as 
thoughtful, decent, intelligent, tough, and absolutely wonderful.
  Don Fraser was born in Minneapolis, MN, in 1924. He fought in World 
War II and later studied law at the University of Minnesota Law School. 
He joined the law firm of Larson, Loevinger, Lindquist, Freeman, and 
Fraser before he was elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 1954. In 
1962, Don was elected to the House of Representatives, representing 
Minnesota's Fifth District, where he served for 16 years. Don went on 
to serve as mayor of Minneapolis from 1980 to 1994, making him the 
longest serving mayor in Minneapolis history.
  Don was married to Arvonne Skelton Fraser, who dedicated her life to 
improving the lives of women around the world. Together, they had six 
children: Thomas, Mary, John, Lois, Anne, and Jean.

[[Page S3248]]

  Known as the Quiet Crusader, Don was always ahead of his time. As a 
Congressman, he fought for the environment and human rights and exposed 
human rights abuses around the world. As mayor of Minneapolis--a job he 
believed was truly the most rewarding of his career--he advocated for 
early childhood education and put an end to the ingrained politics of 
the city's police department. Tom Fraser may have summed up his 
father's service best when he said, ``He persuaded people by the power 
of his argument, not the volume of his speech.'' Public service was 
Don's calling.
  My first job in Democratic politics was serving as the volunteer 
president of the DFL Education Foundation, a group Don Fraser founded. 
His mission? Ideas matter in politics. And he lived that. Don and 
Arvonne were the heart and soul of the group.
  In this era of sound bites and quick fixes to problems, Don and 
Arvonne yearned for something more substantial in the way they talked 
about issues. They worked to promote more citizen involvement in 
politics.
  I remember when Don used to introduce me at events during my run for 
Hennepin County attorney, and he used to say, ``I used to work for the 
city of Minneapolis.'' In reality, Don has never stopped working for 
Minneapolis and his country. Don was a great public servant and an 
outstanding mentor to the next generation. He understood that his 
public service didn't end with him.
  It has been said that it is lucky to have somebody who makes it hard 
to say goodbye. It is hard to say goodbye to Don Fraser, but I count 
myself lucky to have known him as a friend. My family and I greatly 
miss Don. We miss seeing him walking with Arvonne arm in arm in our 
neighborhood, and we miss their passion for public service and their 
love for their family and friends.

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