Brush with Famous - George Mickelson

Governor George S. Mickelson
Wikipedia photo

  George S. Mickelson succeeded Bill Janklow as South Dakota Governor when he was elected in the fall of 1986.  

  It was the first time in state history that the son of a Governor became Governor.  His dad, George T. Michelson served from 1947 to 1951.

  Governor Mickelson had a different style than Governor Janklow.  He was friendly and cooperative.  Politically, like his predecessor, he had a big advantage since his Republican Party had a 2/3 majority in the House and Senate.

  From his election until I left for a new job in August, 1989 I interviewed him dozens of times.  

  In 1988, the state and much of the Midwest was afflicted with an historic drought that ruined crops and dramatically lowered the level of lakes and rivers.

When Midwest Governors met in Chicago to discuss ways they could handle the drought, I was one of the reporters that flew with the Governor and his aides from Pierre to Chicago on one of the state's private planes.

1989 was South Dakota's Centennial.  It was interesting to cover a variety of re-enactments (cattle drives and the Lewis and Clark trip up the Missouri River to name two) and do stories highlighting the state's political history.

Before I left there was a small gathering of reporters and the Governor's Press Secretary - to my surprise and great honor I received a Governor's Proclamation for David Mossner Day signed by the Governor.

April 19, 1993 I was launching a new career selling insurance and investments for Aid Association for Lutherans.  It was the day the Branch Davidian siege ended in Waco, Texas.  

It was also the day one of those South Dakota state planes carrying the Governor crashed while returning from a trip to Ohio.  The plane crash near Zwingle, Iowa killed everyone on board.