Note: This statement was issued on behalf of the Wollman family by Jody Severson, who served in Governor Wollman’s administration as press secretary.
Former South Dakota Governor Harvey Wollman has died.
Former South Dakota Governor Harvey Wollman died of natural causes Tuesday, his family announced.
Wollman was 87.
Wollman was born May 14, 1935, in the house where he lived almost all of his life with his wife Anne, whom he married 63 years ago.
Harvey attended a one-room school his first eight years and had only one classmate. He attended Doland High School, graduating in 1953. He was elected senior class president, was a high school debater, and won First Superior as a baritone soloist at the state music contest.
He helped his father and mother on the farm for a year, attended Bethel College in St. Paul for one year, and returned to the farm and attended Huron College, earning a degree in business administration. He met his wife Anne Geigel while both members of the Huron College Choir.
Harvey entered the US Army and served two years with the Third Armored Division assigned to division headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany. Harvey accepted a teaching position at Doland High School, teaching US History and US Government and coaching the debate team to three state championships.
Wollman ran successfully as a Democrat for the State Senate in 1968, was elected to three consecutive terms, and was chosen by his peers as Senate Minority Leader, then Majority Leader. He joined the ticket as Governor Richard Kneip’s Lieutenant Governor in 1974 and became Governor in 1978 when Kneip was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Singapore.
Harvey Wollman was the last Democrat to hold the office of Governor in South Dakota. He was sworn into office in July of 1978 by his brother, Roger Wollman, then Chief Justice of the South Dakota Supreme Court.
Harvey’s legislative accomplishments include having been the sole sponsor of the bill creating the South Dakota Investment Council. That organization manages more than $18 billion in assets owned by the State of South Dakota.
Wollman was prime sponsor of the bill that created the four-year degree Medical School at the University of South Dakota. He was prime sponsor of the bill that created the South Dakota Housing Development Authority, which since its inception has helped more than 93,000 South Dakota families obtain homeownership and has assisted in the creation of 12,000 units of multi-family housing.
Wollman was a member of the State Constitutional Revision Commission and enjoyed leading in the establishment of a cabinet system in the executive branch of state government as well as creating the South Dakota Unified Judicial System.
After serving as Governor, he was appointed by President Carter to be a Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army. He served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Huron College, Chairman of the Board at Huron Regional Medical Center, Township Board Chairman, member of his church Board of Mission and Services, as well as a member of the board of the Seminary Graduate School of Fresno Pacific College. Finally, he spent 10 years on the Board of Directors for Community First Bank of Fargo, ND.
Wollman loved to fly, and flew single and twin engine airplanes for 60 years. He had earned commercial, twin-engine, and instrument ratings over the years. When he served as governor, he rented the old state airplane, a twin-engine Beech Bonanza, and hired the Chief Pilot, Don Octane, to instruct him in that airplane.
Harvey and Anne have three children, Kristine, Michael, and Daniel, as well as seven grandchildren.
Wollman was inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2017. In his speech that evening, Wollman said, “We live in a great state. Its blessings outweigh its problems. Its future will be determined by the actions of ordinary citizens like you and me.”
Harvey and Anne continued to sing together in church choirs into their 80s. He sang for years with the Aberdeen Men’s Chorus until May of 2022. They traveled extensively in the US and abroad. They particularly enjoyed trips to Europe with family and friends, and 10 wonderful trips to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Most of all, they loved to come home, and always enjoyed country life on the Wollman homestead in Spink County, where they actively farmed for over 70 years.
Funeral services for Harvey will be announced at a later time.
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