The last Democrat to serve as speaker of the South Dakota House has died.
Gene Lebrun is remembered by friends and colleagues as a gracious public servant.
Lebrun was first elected into the South Dakota legislature in 1970 along with Gov. Dick Kneip and a wave of other Democrats.
He was reelected in 1972 when Democrats split the House and at the age of 34 took the job of speaker.
“I watched them change our world," said Kay Jorgensen, who was active in student government during Lebrun’s tenure as speaker.
Lebrun’s legislative achievements include the creation of the state Investment Council, South Dakota Environmental Protection Act and the Unified Judicial System.
“Bottom line, Gene Lebrun was purposeful, he was always kind and public service was a calling," Jorgensen said.
Jorgensen served in the state legislature after Lebrun’s time in Pierre. The two also served on the Mt. Rushmore Society board.
Lebrun served when the state legislature passed the Equal Rights Amendment and enacted transparency reforms still celebrated in the Capitol today. Brief Democratic control also led to some restructuring of the executive branch.
“There was quite a lot that was accomplished on a bipartisan basis," said US District Judge Larry Piersol, who was the Democratic majority leader in the House at the time. "It was—I think—in good part due to the tone that Gene set.”
Lebrun was a lawyer. Gov. Kneip appointed him to serve on the Uniform Law Commission in 1976 where he would eventually serve as president.
Lebrun remained active in state Democratic party politics. Former state Senator and West River Democratic gubernatorial candidate Billie Sutton said Lebrun was a good man all around. Sutton’s grandfather served with Lebrun in the legislature and was a big supporter of Billie’s 2018 campaign.
“He kind of had a cowboy mentality, a little bit,” Sutton said. “It was kind of like a, ‘I’m going to shoot you strait,’ and a very no-nonsense type attitude.”
LeBrun died on Sunday. He was 84.
