(1939 - )
Red Lake Falls

Velma was born in Norman County and continues to live in Red Lake County, where she has helped to shape the political climate for many years. She has been a longtime DFL activist and is directly responsible for mentoring many women in Red Lake County to become involved in politics.

Velma was elected in 2000 as Red Lake County Commissioner; she has served as the chair for the past two years. Her other duties as a commissioner include serving on the Housing Committee and Chair of the Social Services Board.
She has also worked with the Northwest Regional Development Commission and served on the Red Lake River Corridor Board, the Red River Basin Board, and as secretary of the Red Lake County DFL Board.

Velma taught in Red Lake Falls elementary school for over 30 years, during which time she held herself to the highest standards of teaching. She received many awards from various organizations over the years but the greatest reward for her has always been the satisfaction of knowing her students learned what they were supposed to; in 1998 her third graders had the highest scores in the State in reading and math.

She held every office in her local unit the Minnesota Education Association and acted as head negotiator. She also served as the secretary/treasurer for 22 school district northwest unit. As Governmental Relations Chair for eight years, she lobbied extensively at the state legislature for educational issues.

Velma's numerous roles over the years have included Head Start Director, girl's volleyball coach, junior high girl's basketball coach, and serving on the board of commissioners of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. She was also instrumental in keeping a hazardous waste site from locating in Red Lake County.