George S. Mickelson
Encyclopedia
George Speaker Mickelson (January 31, 1941 April 19, 1993) was an American politician
from the U.S. state
of South Dakota
. Mickelson, a Republican
, served as the 28th Governor of South Dakota
from January 6, 1987 until his death in a plane crash in 1993. His father, George T. Mickelson
, was also a governor of South Dakota, serving from 1947 to 1951. To date, the Mickelsons are the only father-son duo to have ever held that office.
. He graduated from the University of South Dakota
(Business Administration, 1963; Law School, 1965), and was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha
fraternity. He was a veteran of the United States Army
, and his service included a tour of duty in Vietnam
.
in 1974, he held office there for six years, serving as Speaker for the final two years. Mickelson successfully ran for governor in 1986 and was re-elected four years later.
On April 19, 1993 Mickelson was one of eight people aboard a state-owned airplane returning to South Dakota from a lobbying effort in Ohio. The plane, a Mitsubishi MU-2
turboprop
, reported engine trouble while flying near Dubuque, Iowa
and crashed into a farm silo about nine miles south of that city. All aboard the aircraft were killed. After the crash, Mickelson was succeeded as Governor by then-Lieutenant Governor
Walter Dale Miller
. Coincidentally, the crash took place on the same day as the end of the Branch Davidian
siege near Waco, Texas
, which overshadowed the crash in national news coverage.
is named after him, as is the George S. Mickelson Trail
in the Black Hills
and the George S. Mickelson Center for the Neurosciences in Yankton, SD. The George S. Mickelson Education Center at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
was built in 1990. The George S. Mickelson Great Service Award in extended annually by the South Dakota Office of Tourism. Along with Memorial Middle School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
. Mickelson, a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, served as the 28th Governor of South Dakota
Governor of South Dakota
The Governor of South Dakota is the head of the executive branch of the government of South Dakota. They are elected to a four year term on even years when there is no Presidential election. The current governor is Dennis Daugaard, a Republican elected in 2010....
from January 6, 1987 until his death in a plane crash in 1993. His father, George T. Mickelson
George T. Mickelson
George Theodore Mickelson was the 18th Governor of South Dakota, and later a United States federal judge.-Background:...
, was also a governor of South Dakota, serving from 1947 to 1951. To date, the Mickelsons are the only father-son duo to have ever held that office.
Background
Mickelson was born in Mobridge, South DakotaMobridge, South Dakota
Mobridge is a city in Walworth County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 3,465 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Mobridge is located at ....
. He graduated from the University of South Dakota
University of South Dakota
The University of South Dakota ', the state’s oldest university, was founded in 1862 and classes began in 1882. Located in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States, USD is home to South Dakota's only medical school and law school. USD is governed by the South Dakota Board of Regents, and its current...
(Business Administration, 1963; Law School, 1965), and was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Alpha is one of the largest men's secret general fraternities in North America, having initiated more than 280,000 members and held chapters at more than 300 universities. It is a member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference and was founded by Warren A. Cole, while he was a...
fraternity. He was a veteran of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, and his service included a tour of duty in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
Public service and plane crash
Mickelson served as South Dakota State Assistant Attorney General (1967–68) and South Dakota State Attorney, Brookings County (1971–74). First elected to the South Dakota House of RepresentativesSouth Dakota House of Representatives
The South Dakota House of Representatives is the lower house of the South Dakota State Legislature. It is made up of 70 members, two from each legislative district...
in 1974, he held office there for six years, serving as Speaker for the final two years. Mickelson successfully ran for governor in 1986 and was re-elected four years later.
On April 19, 1993 Mickelson was one of eight people aboard a state-owned airplane returning to South Dakota from a lobbying effort in Ohio. The plane, a Mitsubishi MU-2
Mitsubishi MU-2
The Mitsubishi MU-2 is one of postwar Japan's most successful aircraft. It is a high-wing, twin-engine turboprop, and has a pressurized cabin.-Design and development:...
turboprop
Turboprop
A turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
, reported engine trouble while flying near Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
and crashed into a farm silo about nine miles south of that city. All aboard the aircraft were killed. After the crash, Mickelson was succeeded as Governor by then-Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota
The Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota is the lieutenant governor of the U.S. state of South Dakota.He or she is the second-ranking member of the executive branch of South Dakota state government and also serves as presiding officer of the South Dakota Senate...
Walter Dale Miller
Walter Dale Miller
Walter Dale "Walt" Miller is an American politician with the Republican Party. He served as 29th Governor of South Dakota from 1993 to 1995, having succeeded to office upon the death of George S...
. Coincidentally, the crash took place on the same day as the end of the Branch Davidian
Branch Davidian
The Branch Davidians are a Protestant sect that originated in 1955 from a schism in the Davidian Seventh Day Adventists , a reform movement that began within the Seventh-day Adventist Church around 1930...
siege near Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, which overshadowed the crash in national news coverage.
Legacy
George S. Mickelson Middle School in BrookingsBrookings, South Dakota
Brookings is a city in Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. Brookings is the fourth largest city in South Dakota, with a population of 22,056 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brookings County, and home to South Dakota State University, the largest institution of higher...
is named after him, as is the George S. Mickelson Trail
George S. Mickelson Trail
The George S. Mickelson Trail is a rail trail in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.The main trail route extends , from Edgemont to Deadwood, with approximately nine miles of additional branch trails, including a three mile paved link from Custer to the Custer State Park completed in 2007...
in the Black Hills
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
and the George S. Mickelson Center for the Neurosciences in Yankton, SD. The George S. Mickelson Education Center at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
was built in 1990. The George S. Mickelson Great Service Award in extended annually by the South Dakota Office of Tourism. Along with Memorial Middle School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.