The Star Tribune published the following letter after the death of Senator Durenberger

SEN. DAVE DURENBERGER

His approach will be missed

Many years ago, on a flight home from Washington, D.C., Sen. Dave Durenberger was just a few rows ahead (“GOP senator stressed ‘shared value of civic engagement,'” Feb. 1). I didn’t want to bother him because he was engrossed in paperwork, so I handed him a note inviting him to a small neighborhood Memorial Day flag-raising ceremony my father-in-law, Bob White, a World War II veteran, hosted for many years.

A few days later, the senator’s staff was very kind to respond and said the senator appreciated the invitation but was already committed to attending the large Memorial Day service at Fort Snelling. They said he would try to make it to the flag-raising, but it would be a challenge.

I appreciated the follow-up and assumed his presence was a long shot.

On Memorial Day morning, just as Bob began to welcome neighbors, Sen. Durenberger and his staff arrived. He had spent most of the morning at Fort Snelling but still took the time to participate in our much smaller but very meaningful gathering.

In the wrong hands, politics can be a cynical business. But for Sen. Durenberger, it was a vocation to be honored, which he did so graciously that Memorial Day morning. We need more Dave Durenbergers.

Jim Triggs, Edina