Richard W. O'Dea (July 17, 1916 – January 10, 1998) was an American politician and businessman. O'Dea was born in

Saint Paul, Minnesota Saint Paul (often abbreviated St. Paul) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County, Minnesota, Ramsey County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ...

and went to the Saint Paul public schools. He also went to

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

and took industrial training special extension courses. O'Dea worked for Seeger Refrigerator Company ad was an inspector and supervisor. He lived in Willernie, Minnesota with his wife and family and served as the mayor of Willernie. O'Dea also lived in

Mahtomedi, Minnesota Mahtomedi ( ) is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 8,138 at the 2020 census. Mahtomedi is a suburb of St. Paul and is located between St. Paul and Stillwater along the shores of White Bear Lake. Geogr ...

with his wife and family. He served in the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

from1952 to 1972 and was a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

. he died from cancer,'Richard O'Dea, former state legislator,' Minnesota Star Tribune (Minnesota), January 15, 1998

References

Politicians from Saint Paul, Minnesota People from Washington County, Minnesota Businesspeople from Minnesota University of Minnesota alumni 20th-century mayors of places in Minnesota Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives Deaths from cancer in Minnesota 1916 births 1998 deaths 20th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature {{Minnesota-MNRepresentative-Democratic-stub