The sad news comes that Arnold M. Brown died this week, aged 93. Brown was a 12-year legislator from Brookings who served 4 years as president pro tempore of the State Senate.
Arne Brown first served four years in the State House, from 1993-96. He didn’t seek reelection in 1996. Just three days before the beginning of the 1997 legislative session, though, State Senator Richard Negstad of Brookings died, and Governor Bill Janklow appointed Brown to take his place in the Senate. Brown was reelected in 1998, 2000, and 2002, before retiring in 2004.
From 2001-04, Brown was the president pro tempore of the State Senate. He was a steady, grandfatherly presence in the Republican leadership, staying below the radar and undertaking his duties in an evenhanded way.
Arne Brown was universally well-liked and respected, as a legislative leader and a leader in the Brookings community. He was an outstanding example of a citizen legislator, and a timeless figure who would have fit into the state legislature in 1889 or 2024, or anytime in between.
Senator Brown’s obituary is posted here. Services will be held on Saturday, January 3 at Ascension Lutheran Church in Brookings, with visitation at 9:30 am and the service at 11:00 am.
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