The first lady of Minnesota is an honorary title granted to the wife of the governor of Minnesota. To date there have been no female governors of Minnesota, and all first spouses have been first ladies.

The current first lady is Gwen Walz, wife of Governor Tim Walz.

First Ladies of Minnesota

Name Image Term in office Birth-Death Spouse of NotesSarah Jane Steele Sibley 1858-1860 1823-1869Henry Sibley Anna Earl Jenks Ramsey 1860-1863 1826-1884Alexander Ramsey Ruth Livingston Swift 1863-18641827-1881Henry Swift Margaret Funk Miller 1864-18661816-1879Stephen Miller Abby Langford Marshall 1866-18701826-1893William MarshallMary Angelina "Lena" Morrill Austin 1870-18741835-1910Horace Austin Laura Bowman Davis 1874-1876c.1839-UnknownCushman Davis Mahala Fisk Pillsbury 1876-18821832-1910John S. Pillsbury Amelia Thomas Hubbard 1882-18871843-1923Lucius HubbardBorn in Canada Mary Elizabeth Wilson McGill 1887-18891853-1932Andrew McGill Laura Hancock Merriam 1889-18931850-1943William Merriam Nicolina Jacobsen Nelson 1893-18951846-1922Knute NelsonBorn in Norway Addie Barton Clough 1895-18991850-1929D.M. Clough Alice Shepard Lind 1899-19011859-1942John Lind Ruth Hall Van Sant 1901-19051848-1928Samuel Van Sant Elinore "Nora" Preston Johnson 1905-1909c.1874-1955John Johnson Adele O. M. Koke Eberhart 1909-19151874-1945A.O. EberhartFirst First Lady born in Minnesota. Vacant 1915-1915Winfield Scott Hammond Governor Hammond was not married. Mary Louise Cross Burnquist 1915-19211880-1966J.A.A. Burnquist Idelle Louise Haugen Preus 1921-19251884-1968J.A.O. Preus Ruth E. Donaldson Christianson 1925-19311886-1944Theodore Christianson Ada A. Krejci Olson 1931-19361893-1969Floyd B. Olson Medora B. Grandprey Petersen 1936-19371896-1997Hjalmar Petersen Frances Lillian Miller Benson 1937-19391896-1990Elmer Benson Esther G. Glewwe Stassen 1939-19431906-2000Harold Stassen Worked as a secretary in a downtown St. Paul law office Myrtle Ennor Oliver Thye 1943-19471895-1972Edward Thye Irene Annet Engdahl Youngdahl 1947-19511896-1992Luther Youngdahl Lillian Otterstad Anderson 1951-19551913-1998C. Elmer Anderson Jane C. Shields Freeman 1955-19611921-2018Orville Freeman Eleanor A. Johnson Andersen 1961-19631911-2011Elmer Andersen Florence Boedeker Rolvaag 1963-19671921-1983Karl Rolvaag Worked as a secretary at the literary journal "Southwestern Review" and taught at a business school Iantha Powrie LeVander 1967-19711913-2009Harold LeVander Served as a Republican National Committeewoman in the mid-1970s and program chair of the 1976 Republican National Convention. Mary Christine McKee Anderson 1971-19761939-2018Wendell Anderson Architect Delores "Lola" Helen Simich Perpich 1976-19791931-2025Rudy PerpichRenovated the Minnesota Governor's Residence and opened the residence to the public for the first time. Gretchen Marie Hansen Quie 1979-19831927-2015Al Quie Delores "Lola" Helen Simich Perpich 1983-1991 1931-2025Rudy Perpich Susan Shepard Carlson 1991-19991949-Arne Carlson Theresa "Terry" Masters Janos "Ventura" 1999-20031955-Jesse Ventura Mary Pawlenty 2003-20111961-Tim Pawlenty State court judge Vacant 2011-2019Mark Dayton Governor Dayton was unmarried while governor Gwen Walz 2019–present 1966- Tim Walz

See also List of governors of Minnesota

References