Elaine Rupp Harder (December 27, 1947 – September 24, 2013) was an American politician and businesswoman. She served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1995 until 2004 as a member of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

Early life and education

Born in Windom, Minnesota, Harder pursued her higher education at

Minnesota State University, Mankato Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU, MSU, or Minnesota State) is a public university in Mankato, Minnesota, United States. It is Minnesota's second-largest university and has over 123,000 living alumni worldwide. Founded in 1868, it is t ...

, where she received her bachelor's degree.

Career

Harder worked in various roles including a home economics teacher, a sales representative for a printing and office supplies company, and a sales and marketing agent for a family cattle company. Additionally, she served as a

4-H 4-H is a U.S.-based network of youth organizations whose mission is "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development". Its name is a reference to the occurrence of the initial letter H four times i ...

youth development agent with the University of Minnesota Extension Service in Cottonwood County, where she has been involved since her youth.

Political career

In 1995, Harder embarked on her political career when she was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives, where she served until 2004. As a representative, she was known for her contributions to the state legislature as a member of the Republican Party.

Personal life

Harder lived in

Jackson, Minnesota Jackson is a city and county seat of Jackson County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,299 at the 2010 census. History Jackson was originally called Springfield, and under the latter name was laid out in 1856. A post office calle ...

where she and her husband, who ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in 1990, owned and operated an insurance agency. She was a

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

and sang in her church choir.

Death

Harder passed away on September 24, 2013, in

St. Anthony, Minnesota St. Anthony, also known as Saint Anthony Village, is a city in Hennepin and Ramsey counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. At the 2010 census the population was 8,226, of whom 5,156 lived in the larger Hennepin County part of the city and 3,0 ...

References

1947 births 2013 deaths People from Windom, Minnesota Minnesota State University, Mankato alumni Businesspeople from Minnesota Women state legislators in Minnesota Republican Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians People from Jackson, Minnesota 20th-century American businesspeople 20th-century American women Lutherans from Minnesota {{Minnesota-politician-stub